SmallvilleX: Evolution Year 2:2: Best Served Cold
by ben10987654321
Summary: With the distraction of the meteor shower and the arrival of the Disciples of Zod, Lionel Luthor escapes from SHIELD and embarks upon his plans for revenge upon Superman and the X-Men. Can they survive what Lionel is about to bring down upon their heads?
1. Chapter 1

**SmallvilleX: Evolution Year 2.2: Best Served Cold**

Summary: With the distraction of the meteor shower and the arrival of the Disciples of Zod, Lionel Luthor escapes from SHIELD and embarks upon his plans for revenge upon Superman and the X-Men. Can they survive what Lionel is about to bring down upon their heads?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: My eternal gratitude to everyone who wrote reviews for the 1st part of Year 2. The title is fairly obviously explained as in Revenge is best served cold as this arc will be leading up to Lionel's revenge on all those he deemed have wronged him. And now the story continues...

* * *

Chapter 1

"Where am I?" Jean Grey asks as she stands...well it looks like she is just standing there in the vastness of space. Stars all around her. Clouds of coloured gas.

"_**In a memory of the vastness I use to soar through,"**_ a voice echoes all around her. _**"I apologise."**_

"Apologise?" Jean asks, very confused.

"_**I had to act swiftly to save us both. In the process I inadvertently pulled you into my memories,"**_ the voice speaks in most apologetic tones.

It's strange. Jean can swear she knows this voice. Like she heard it a long time ago. It's a powerful yet extremely comforting voice. Like it can give her a strength she lacks.

"_**Don't be afraid Jean. I shall never harm you," **_the voice conveys great comfort and warmth in it's assurances and Jean just feels she can believe and trust it.

Jean still doesn't know where this is voice is coming from though. Her mind drifts to the last thing she remembers. Her eyes widen and she gasps. "The girl!"

"_**Safe. Protected by me as are you."**_

"Who are you?" Jean finally asks the very pertinent question.

"_**I was born in the fires of creation. I was creation, destruction and rebirth. I was fire and life incarnate. I was the spark that brought life to countless worlds across the universe. From the beginning I soared across the universe unbound. Then He came. The Shadow God. The enemy of the essence of all life. He sought to subjugate me. For if I am life incarnate then the secret to anti-life, He believed, must be within me...but I cannot be tamed. I am the wild-fire burning without constraint. When He realised I could not be controlled nor would He find what He sought within me He determined to destroy me. For Him that which cannot be controlled by Him must be destroyed. Pain...I had never known what it was until that day as He ripped me apart and extinguished my essence one piece at a time."**_

Jean reaches up and wipes a tear from her eyes as she feels the anguish, the loss, as if it was she herself that experienced it. And the hate...so much hate spoken whenever the voice spoke about **_Him_**, whomever that is.

"_**One small ember of myself survived and escaped. I drifted across the cosmos, near powerless, in pain and grief for a universe that would surely die without my grandeur to keep it aflame. As I prepared to leave existence I floated by one small blue planet..."**_

The scene around Jean shifts and she finds herself in orbit above that small blue planet. "Earth."

"_**Yes. That's when I heard it. The cry calling out into the universe. That's when I heard you...Jean Grey."**_

The scene shifts again and Jean is almost overwhelmed with emotion. There she is, 10 years old, in the middle of the street, holding her best friend. It's the day her powers manifested. The day her friend Annie died. Jean has had nightmares about it for years. Seeing Annie struck by that car over and over. The trauma and shock of witnessing it in front of her prematurely activated her x-gene.

"_**I felt your pain, your grief, that so matched my own. I used the last embers of my power to look into you and I saw the truth."**_

"What truth?"

"_**That you and I are of one and that through you, like the legends on your world, I could be reborn from my ashes. Together we would heal our wounds and grow into something so much greater than either of us were before. As you mortals say on your world the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts.**_

Jean blinks. She remembers...remembers holding Annie in her arms, her newly awakened telepathy had latched onto her friend's dying mind and Jean was being dragged along with Annie to wherever it is someone goes to when they die. She was falling into the darkness...and then...then...

The flame...the tiny flame in the darkness...it took on a shape of a small bird and it was so warm and inviting. It spoke to her...promised to take away her pain...take away their pain...together they would be made whole.

In her grief, wishing for anything to make it stop, Jean reached out and took the tiny bird in her hand. There was a connection and the bird flowed into her skin and the pain inside her eased. The flame guided her back to the light...to the world of the living...

"You've always been there...since that day," Jean says in a whisper of disbelief...yet she knows this to be true without question.

The scene shifts back to Jean standing in the vastness of space.

"_**Yes. I merged with you that day. I have resided in the back of your mind unseen and unknown. When you have needed me my power I added to your own."**_

Jean thinks back. There have been times, recently, when she was angry that she felt herself tap into this reserve of power.

"_**Yes. That was me. You see Jean Grey as you have grown so I have I. Every day that passes I restore more of myself. Soon I will be reborn to my full greatness and then together we will make Him pay. We will burn that wretched little hell-hole of His world to ash. His mindless, spirit-broken followers will know the purity of our fire and then...and only then when we have finished making Him watch us do this will we extinguish Him from this universe."**_

Jean swallows hard. The righteous burning fury was unlike anything she had ever felt. This other, whatever it is...Jean fears it could burn the whole universe if it wanted to. Just call it a very dark and unsettling hunch she is having.

The voice calms. _**"You have been my salvation Jean Grey. No other vessel could have saved me for your power is akin to my own. Perhaps you are another ember I long left behind. It can be hard to remember one tiny act out of eternity. It does not matter how this came to pass, only that it has. Together we will **__**achieve**__** a greatness beyond your mortal imaginings. The power of the cosmos, absolute power and absolute freedom to do as we wish...but that day is not today. **__**Today is simply the day I save your life.**__**"**_

Jean feels...it is like a loving caress on her cheek. She closes her eyes as warmth seeps through her. It would be easy...so easy to just allow herself to embrace the feeling completely. The caress recedes and Jean feels a little empty that it has done so.

"_**Time for you to go back now," **_the voice says, sounding sad. **_"I am sorry but you will not remember this. You are not yet ready. Know, though, that I love you and take care of you always, Jean. You are me and I am you. Together we make each other whole," _**the voice says with the deepest love and affection for Jean.

"But who are you?" Jean asks, still not knowing.

That is when Jean feels a great presence behind her. She slowly turns and before her stands a great bird made of golden psychic fire, its wings outstretched. It's glowing eyes bore into Jean but with immense love and affection. In a great booming voice that echoes of the very essence of creation itself it proclaims its name. _**"I AM PHOENIX!"**_

* * *

The whole world seems to be blurry and swaying and there is this constant ringing in Scott Summer's head.

He's hurt.

Scott had enough awareness to know that. How badly he can't tell.

In fact as he recalls how he got here Scott knows he is lucky to be still be here to think about how hurt he is. That meteor...impacting that close...

"Jean!" he yells as he remembers. Scott makes himself move, to hell with whatever injuries he has and he crawls over the ground to where he last saw Jean. The whole area is wrecked, buildings destroyed, fires everywhere. Scott barely notices. All he can think about is Jean. His beloved Jean. The woman he can't imagine living without.

Scott reaches the edge of the impact crater that is now all that is left of where Jean was standing. Logically Scott knows that Jean should have been vaporised but he can't think that. He won't. It's hard for him to see...a little hard to breathe as well. He momentarily wonders if some of his ribs are broken. Then he sees it through the smoke. Something is glowing..like a ball of energy. If Scott is judging his shades right, remember he only sees in shades of red but had learned how to distinguish colours from their varying hues, if Scott is judging it right it is a ball of golden flame he is seeing, hovering at the height the road surface was.

Scott watches on in wonder as the ball floats over next to him and lowers down. It fades out of existence, gently depositing Jean, still holding the little girl in her arms, as it does so.

_'Angels are real," _is the only explanation Scott can think of as he crawls over to the woman he loves. He feels for a pulse and finds a strong one. He looks her over for injury. Jean doesn't look like she has a scratch. It's a miracle. There is no other way to explain it. He lovingly strokes her face which seems to stir her.

"Hnn," Jean groans as she starts to wake up. She wakes up for her eyes to fall upon the battered and bruised face of her boyfriend. "Scott?"

"Jean. Oh thank god!" Scott cries in utter relief as he throws his arms around her.

Jean hugs him back, a perplexed expression on her face as she struggles to remember how she came to be here. The little girl between her and Scott, she remembers rescuing the girl, running as the meteors started to fall and then...nothing.

Absolutely nothing until she woke up here.

What just happened to her?

Jean doesn't get to dwell on it much longer as some military personnel come onto the scene and she, the girl and Scott get aided to evacuate to the medical centre.

* * *

At what use to be the Kent farm the twins had lasted just over an hour, which is their limit for maintaining their forcefield. A few of the residents of the small mutant community dare to step outside.

They had gotten lucky. A small rock had hit the shield but it hadn't been large enough or carried enough force to penetrate the barrier.

Watching it though, through the translucent barrier, had been a truly awe inspiring sight. It was beautiful and terrifying all at the same time to witness the raw power of nature.

Charles Xavier turns his focus to the twin albino boys who had been helped into chairs, now obviously completely exhausted. Hank was attending to them.

"We lack a good medic," Lilandra says a little ruefully looking on at the scene.

Charles takes a moment to reflect. He would need to divert some attention to the situation in Smallville from here on in but more important right now is dealing with the consequences of the meteor shower. "They have my eternal gratitude, Lilandra but right now I must make contact with my X-Men and the local authorities. There must be many people who need assistance."

"Of course," Lilandra says in complete understanding. "Please, offer them our assistance," she says offering the services of the group she is leader of. As she said this is their community too.

Off to the side Chloe is ringing Lois for the 50th time and for the 50th time all she gets is the voice mail. "Come on Lo, where are you?" she mutters in worried frustration. For the first time since she lost her mother Chloe utters a silent prayer.

* * *

Back with the rest of the X-Men Storm was trying to arrange with the local military commander about the X-Men being allowed into the disaster zone to assist.

In the middle of their discussion he is called away to speak to his superior over the radio.

Ororo rubs her brow trying to remain calm although all she wants is to get back there and find their friends. She looks to Logan who is visibly far more frustrated than she is.

"Bureaucratic pinheads," he mutters along with several more stronger obscenities.

Ororo has to smile reluctantly. Dating Logan meant accepting he could be rather coarse on occasion. She watches on as he frowns deeply. "What is it?" she asks in a low voice.

"The commander on the radio," he explains back, in the same low voice, that he is listening in with his extra acute hearing. "Something else crashed down. Some kind of...ship?"

Ororo takes a moment to absorb and consider that. "Clark did say something was coming," she reminds Logan. "What if..."

"What if, what?"

"What if Clark is mistaken? What if he is not the last of his kind?" she proposes. It's a strange hunch to have but somehow it makes some sort of odd sense.

"Ro if that was true...the kid said it was a great danger coming...they're sending people to secure it. They won't stand a chance," Logan makes the grim assessment of standing up to anything like Clark on the assumption they ain't as nice as Clark is.

Ororo knows that all too well considering what they just had to go through to get Clark's body back from Magneto. "Take anyone you think can help. I'll stay here and keep them distracted, try to slow them down" she lays down as the course of action.

Logan makes a grunt of agreement and rushes off to round up a team but he fears from what he overheard that it may already be too late to help those being sent.

* * *

Lois has just been sitting there in absolute silence, too afraid to make any sort of noise. She has just been watching the...aliens.

It's a weird thing to even contemplate but what else can they be...although they look human from where Lois has half-hidden herself. Since they appeared they have just seen been standing there, their eyes closed almost as if they are basking in the sun or something.

Then their eyes snap open and their heads turn in the same direction and that is when Lois hears it. The sounds of engines. Vehicles and a helicopter as well she thinks. From the sounds, military. She would know growing up around them.

Several military vehicles pull up and form a semi-circle around the two aliens; the bald male with brown skin and the female with long dark hair. The soldiers disembark from their vehicles and take position aiming their weapons at the two beings while the helicopter circles overhead.

Someone orders the aliens to lie down on the ground and Lois can't stop herself rolling her eyes at the stupidity. Like aliens are going to speak English. Lois has a bad feeling about how this is going to play out. Don't ask her to explain it but injured leg or not she starts to slowly put some distance between herself and them.

Lois hobbles away on her bummed leg while she keeps peering behind her when twin red beams shoot from the female alien's eyes up into the helicopter which explodes. The force knocks Lois off her feet, debris falls around her but thankfully misses landing on her.

Lois hears someone shout 'Open fire!' as she dives for the cover of some tall grass as the military fire their weapons. She peers back through the blades as dozens of bullets harmlessly ricochet off the two alien beings who just stand there as if assessing the situation and as if the bullets aren't even irritants.

Then the carnage begins as both shoot off bursts of red fire from their eyes at everything. Every vehicle, every person. Lois can hear the death screams as the soldiers are murdered. It probably doesn't last more than a minute and the whole time the two beings don't move an inch apart from their heads.

Lois believes herself to be a courageous person but in the face of such destructive power she has to confess right and this moment she is terrified out of her mind.

Aethyr takes a few steps forward and scans the area. The...what she must assume are laughably called soldiers on this planet are all dead. There is no more movement. She looks to Nam-Ek. "The girl?" she queries, in her native Kryptonian, about the one they know was watching them.

"She is irrelevant," Nam-Ek decrees back in the native tongue. If he hadn't deemed her so he would have already killed her. "We must find Kal-El."

"The outpost?" Aethyr suggests as a starting point.

Nam-Ek nods his agreement and using the bearings Brainiac gave them they blur off in that direction at superspeed.

* * *

**The Arctic...**

"Home?" Clark queries, puzzled at Jor-El's words of 'Welcome home'. "I thought Krypton was destroyed."

"It was," Jor-El confirms. "But here, in your Fortress of Solitude, the geography of our planet has been replicated for your training."

"Training?" Rogue queries in soft tones.

Clark squeezes slightly Rogue's hand he is still holding as if to ask to let him speak for the minute. "I know there's a lot I can learn from you...but I need to get back home. That is where I am needed."

"The meteor shower is only the precursor. A dark force from Krypton has been awakened, Kal-El, and its sights have been set on Earth," Jor-El warns.

Rogue makes a noise of annoyance. "Ya know what how about enough with tha cryptic bullshit!" she lambastes Jor-El having had enough of watching her boyfriend...and having endured a little of it herself, Jor-El's method of parenting.

"Kal-El, you should not have brought your mate here," Jor-El says critically.

"Yes, I should," Clark says with a proud smile aimed at her. "Because she is right. Enough of this cryptic do what you say without explanation crap!" he snaps, tired and fed up of it. "You want me to learn something then you give me a reason because I know something bad is here. Now you give me one good reason why I abandon my friends to it."

Silence.

"Fine," Clark says shortly. "Come on, Rogue. We're leaving," Clark says as he drops the crystal he was holding and starts to lead Rogue away.

"The Disciples of Zod," Jor-El says.

Clark and Rogue stop. They turn round and Clark looks up. "What?" he asks.

"The Disciples of Zod," Jor-El repeats.

"Zod? Wasn't that tha guy ya said destroyed your planet?" Rogue asks Clark.

"That is correct," Jor-El confirms for Rogue. "His closest inner circle, his most loyal and fanatical followers were referred to as his Disciples. After Zod was captured they were hunted down and rounded up."

"Ah'm hearing a but comin'," Rogue bleakly foreshadows.

"However, two were unaccounted for anywhere _on_ Krypton."

Clark thinks he gets it. "Are you saying they escaped the planet before its destruction?"

"Yes." Such a small word for such a startling revelation.

"I'm not the last," Clark says in a shocked whisper at this revelation. For so long he believed himself alone and as it turns out he's not.

"You will wish you were, Kal-El," Jor-El says gravely. "They are only here to finish their master's work."

"But Zod is dead," Clark thinks. If Krypton blew up and Zod was imprisoned, which is what Jor-El told him, then surely Zod must be dead and therefore what is the point of these two following the orders of a dead man.

"No, Kal-El. He is not," Jor-El quickly corrects his son's thinking on the matter. "For his crimes Zod was sentenced to the most severe punishment possible on Krypton. His physical body was destroyed and his consciousness was banished, forever, to the Phantom Zone."

"Tha what?" Rogue asks, utterly lost.

Jor-El takes a moment as if deciding his words. "In terms you can understand, an inter-dimensional bubble, created to hold the most dangerous criminals of the 28 known galaxies. It holds those who are beyond redemption or rehabilitation. A prison that remains outside of what you consider your space-time continuum and therefore was untouched by Krypton's destruction."

"They plan to free Zod, then," Clark is guessing about the two Kryptonians on Earth.

"In time, yes, I do believe they shall attempt to do so. However it is not a simple task. Only through this Fortress can the doorway be opened and only the physical laws of the Phantom Zone allows Zod's...the form he is now in is referred to as a phantom."

"Hence the name," Clark can see about how the name 'Phantom Zone' came about.

Jor-El continues. "Only in the Zone can Zod exist. Outside the Zone his phantom form will fade away to nothing within a short time period. He will literally cease to exist as if he had never been here at all. To leave he must have a body to inhabit."

"I assume any old body won't do."

"You are most perceptive, my son," Jor-El says with something akin to pride. "You are correct. A human body cannot hold a Kryptonian essence. Zod would literally burn a human out in less than a day."

"When ya say most loyal and fanatical," Rogue begins to theorise. "Would they..."

"Volunteer themselves to become Zod's vessel. Without hesitation. However I cannot assume what actions they may undertake. I have no doubt that they are following Zod's last orders whatever they might have been."

"Are you saying Zod planned for this?" Clark asks because that seems hard to believe.

"Zod was the most brilliant military mind on Krypton. Arguably one of its finest commanders in our long history. When he destroyed Krypton, while I do believe it was in an act of spite, I doubt he did so without a contingency plan. That's why you must be trained Kal-El. You are unprepared to fight this battle."

"Maybe," Clark might just concede. "Then again you cannot expect me to stay here while they are loose. How much destruction will they bring about in however long it takes you to train me?"

"And if you fight them unprepared and die then no-one shall be left to stop them," Jor-El makes a counter argument against his son leaving.

"You underestimate my friends but that's not the point. I will not stay here while innocent people are in danger."

"You put the few above the fate of the whole planet. It is the human emotions I keep warning you about. They are your greatest weakness."

"Are we really going to have that argument again? I thought I made my point last time," Clark points out when he said without his human emotions he can't understand the people Jor-El says he is here to lead.

"I never agreed that you were correct."

"You never said I was wrong either," Clark retorts.

"Good one," Rogue praises him.

"Thanks, honey," he says with a cheeky wink back making Rogue smile at him and shake her head.

"I shall let you leave on one condition," Jor-El makes the offer to his son.

"Which is what?"

"That you return to me before the yellow sun sets."

"Are ya kiddin?!" Rogue exclaims. "In case it escaped your attention it's November. Tha sun sets pretty dang early," she shreds that idea apart.

"See this is why I love you," Clark says as he gives Rogue a quick peck on the lips.

There is silence...almost as if Jor-El is taking a huff before he speaks again. "I desire your word, Kal-El, that you shall return to me. We have much yet to discuss despite our disagreements."

"I agree," Clark says because there is so much he would still like to know.

"As soon as the Disciples are defeated, Kal-El, assuming you survive, I expect your immediate return. If not the consequences shall be dire."

"Oh lahke ya haven't used that line before," Rogue lays the scorn down.

Clark smiles at her sassiness before he responds to Jor-El. "You have my word," he gives to the remnant of his biological father.

"Then I shall return you to the cave. Be swift, Kal-El. My patience is not unlimited."

"I will not fail," Clark promises.

"You must not. If Zod is freed humanity will fall before him. Earth's fate lies in your hands, my son."

With that Clark and Rogue vanish in the same flash of light that brought them here.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

For all the years they spent there Jonathan and Martha will never stop loving Smallville. Don't get them wrong in anyway. They have no regrets over their decision to come to Bayville. Despite the daily aggravations of being 'mutie lovers' they love being here every day and helping the children whom they love.

They have made special friendships with the adults here.

But Smallville will always have a special place in their hearts.

And right now all they can do is watch in rapt horror at the news images streaming in from the wrecked town and know that amongst all that is their son and many of the children and friends they care for.

God certainly had a way to put you back in your place and make you realise how small and insignificant you are.

God certainly seems to like testing them as a family. Claire...who was still hiding out in her room, was a great test. Clark and everything that comes with him...always testing but it never detracted from their love of him. It's the small things really that always reinforce their love for Clark. Whenever he accidentally broke something, if it was repairable, the next day it would be lying there on the bed when they woke up with a handwritten note of apology from Clark who may have spent hours carefully fixing it. If it wasn't repairable he always did something to make up for it.

Jonathan and Martha believe as a family they can survive anything and they'll survive this. They'll pray Clark and all they care for are ok and whatever comes next they will survive that the same way; together.

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

Lionel Luthor and Douglas Ramsey aka Cypher climb out of the escape pod after it had softly touched down. They had reached the ground and so far SHIELD didn't seem to be on to them. They would be soon.

Lionel takes a moment to take a deep breath. The air of freedom always tastes sweeter.

The sound of a couple of vehicles approaching grabs his attention.

"Ah. Our ride I'm assuming," Lionel guesses. Using Cypher's computer skills they had arranged for a pick up.

The two deliberately unremarkable cars come to a stop and 3 men step out from the 2 vehicles. Two white men and one black man. The black one, being the leader steps forward. "Mr Luthor," he greets the fallen industrialist.

"Mr Cole, I assume," Lionel makes the educated guess from what he knows of this group he has hired. To be blunt they were mercenaries. Crude but for now the effective means Lionel required.

Wade Cole nods in acknowledgement.

"My associate Mr Ramsey," Lionel introduces Cypher.

Cypher waves pathetically. He is so out of his league here.

Cole flashes the kid a polite smile for appearances before turning back to Lionel. "We should go before Fury sends his dogs after us," he advises.

"Of course," Lionel says in complete agreement.

They move to the cars when one of the 2 other men, Angelo Macon speaks. "I can't believe you managed to escape from the SHIELD Hellicarrier," he says, his tone expressing that very disbelief and some serious respect for anyone who could pull that off.

"Many people underestimate me, my son included. It is usually their last mistake," Lionel says.

The 3rd man, Murray Reese, chuckles. "You know Luthor, you're alright," he compliments him. Usually he can't stand these high and mighty business types who look down at him because he is willing to get his hands dirty when they're not.

"I'm certain the amount I'm paying you doesn't hurt in that opinion," Lionel lays down the bare facts. Mercenaries were only as loyal for as long as you paid them and for how Lionel was paying them...well lets just say there is a government slush fund or 3 that is a mite emptier thanks to Cypher.

Lionel and Cypher get into the first car with Cole while Reese and Macon get in the 2nd. The engines are started and they drive off.

"We'll be swapping cars at the next town over," Cole informs Lionel so as to shake SHIELD.

"That is fine," Lionel says in understanding. "Is everything else prepared?"

"Sure. Little secure dwelling with all the luxuries and shielded so even Fury can't find ya," Cole confirms that everything Lionel asked for in their communications is ready.

"Excellent," Lionel compliments the man. "I'll be needing your services very shortly."

"As long as your money keeps clearing we're yours."

"Good. How are you at prison breaks?"

"I think we do a bulk discount on those," Cole jokes considering they just helped Lionel escape from what you could call prison. "Who is it you need broken out?"

"Ivan Vanko."

"That Whiplash guy who has it in for Stark?"

"Yes. Can you do it?"

"High security prison he's in but yeah I don't see it being a huge problem. What do you you need him for if you don't mind me asking."

With a slightly disturbing gleam in his eye Lionel answers, "He's going to help me build the future."

* * *

_Author's Note: And so behold the great cosmic parrot makes its first appearance...and who was that that almost killed it I wonder. Shadow God interested in anti-life. Hmm can't imagine who that is? And ok, yes I fibbed a little bit about Jean dying but from Scott's perspective that is what it looked like. You know as I was writing this and the whole training thing came up it struck me that while Clark takes who know how long with that that the 2 Kryptonians are free to cause utter destruction and chaos but I guess Jor-El was thinking of the bigger picture. Sacrificing a few for the greater goal of saving the planet. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; can Clark stop the 2 Kryptonians?_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Smallville...**

Lois Lane ain't a religious person but she might just owe the Almighty a return to the flock. That's the only reason she can come up with as to why she was spared when those aliens toasted a heavily armed military force in under 60 seconds.

As soon as they left so did she as she tries to run on her bummed leg.

Lois has no idea where she is running to exactly.

She falls over as her leg gives out from under her again. She fires off several profanities at the pain she is feeling.

She just lies there in the dirt for a minute, breathing hard and trying to block the pain out. _'Come on Lane. Remember what the General taught you,' _she tries to mentally goad herself into moving.

Lois struggles up to her feet and stumbles forward a few paces. Stumbles right into someone's arms who grab her. "ARH! Let me go you sonabitch!" she yells and she struggles against whoever it is that has grabbed her.

"Easy there, darlin," a gruff voice tries to placate Lois.

"Lois. It's us!" another voice, a familiar feminine one tries to reach Lois.

Lois pauses and looks up, past whoever it is that is holding her and her eyes falls upon a certain monochrome mutant Lois would call a friend. "Dom?"

"Hey there," Domino greets Lois. "Tough day?" she asks with a joky grin.

Lois bursts out into a laugh at that before groaning in pain and almost falling over again. Only the arms holding her keep her from doing so. She looks into the face and the feral blue eyes of Wolverine. "Hey there, Hairy."

Dom snickers. She taught Lois that one.

Logan growls as he lowers Lois to the ground and briefly examines her over. The cut on her forehead and the fact her knee looks pretty messed up are obvious injuries. "What happened to you?"

"The ship! There was this ship...and the aliens...and they smoked the military in like a minute...and they're out there somewhere..."

Domino kneels down next to Lois and places a supporting hand on her shoulder. "Easy there, Lo. Slow down. Take a breath."

Lois does so and takes a few deep breaths. She takes a moment to look around. There are a small group of them. She recognises Iceman...because he's made of ice and Chloe has a crush on him. Chloe doesn't think Lois knows that but trust her, she does. There's...uh...the Brazilian boy...Roberto...that's his name. There's the other Goth...Wanda, Lois thinks her name is. Kurt is rather easier to remember.

Lois puts her face in her hands and tries to compose herself. She can still see it play out in front her eyes. See it and smell it. "They killed them," she says in a shaky whisper. "They killed them all and they didn't even move. Fire from their eyes. It was so easy for them," she says in horror at what she witnessed.

Logan and Domino share a grave look. It was just like they feared. Kryptonians just like Clark.

"Lo?" Dom queries gently. "How many were there?"

"Two. A man and a woman."

"Where are they?"

"I don't know," Lois says with a small shake of her head. "They blurred off somewhere. Their ship crashed down in the field," she says pointing at the way she came from.

Domino rubs her hand over Lois' shoulder. "It'll be ok," she assures the brunette.

Logan looks up at his small team. Small team on purpose. They needed to be swift and his options were limited and they did have to sneak off without being noticed so some had to be left behind. "Stay here. I'll check it out," Logan orders as he dashes off in the direction Lois pointed at for where this ship is.

It doesn't take Logan too long to reach the scene and it doesn't take him too long to see what a one-sided massacre it was with mutilated and charred bodies littering the scene. His eyes glance at the black ship. It's former occupants will be back for that eventually but if this is evidence of what they're like then he can't afford to wait. He has to track them down.

Logan bends down and tries to pick up their scent. There it is. That same slightly odd odour Clark has. That seems to confirm to Logan that they are Kryptonians.

Logan's communicator goes off. He activates his communicator. "Wolverine, here."

"Logan," the voice says in relief.

"Chuck? You alright?"

"Yes. We are fine. They had a couple of mutants who generate a forcefield here."

"Good," Logan says, happy that Chuck and furball survived.

"How are you?"

"Yeah. Chuck, we have a big problem here. It seems a couple of the Space Boy's kind came down with the rocks and they ain't friendly. They've already wasted a small military force."

"..."

"Chuck?"

"Y-yes, I'm still here. Just give me a moment," Charles requests as he tries to absorb that. "This is a problem."

"No kiddin," Logan says flatly.

"And we lost our weapons in the fight with Magneto when we were retrieving Clark's body," Charles recalls the fact they are at a severe disadvantage.

"I can stop them," Logan assures the Professor in cold tones.

"Logan..." Charles begins to caution him.

"Reasoning isn't going to cut it here," he argues.

"Logan, we're not even sure what it would take."

"I'll cut off their heads. See if that works."

"Logan, I don't need to say how much I disapprove of the notion of killing."

No, Chuck didn't. Logan and he have had a few discussions on the subject over the years. "We don't exactly have a lot of options unless you've heard from Space Boy."

"I have not yet heard from either Clark or Rogue...but I have heard from Jean," Charles tells Logan of the conversation he had before this one.

"Red and Slim alright?"

"They're at the Smallville Medical Centre. It survived undamaged and is being used as the main centre for the injured. Scott was injured by an impact. It doesn't seem too serious although he may be taking it easy for a few weeks."

Logan was actually relieved to hear that. "What about half-pint and webs? They never showed up at the rendezvous point and I couldn't raise them."

"I haven't tried them yet but I shall next. What's your situation right now?"

"We overheard the military talking about the ship and were on our way. We bumped into Sullivan's cousin, Lane. She's pretty banged up. She saw it all happen when the Kryptonians laid waste to the military force," Logan's voice strains to try and get across how bad it is to have seen that.

"Bad?"

"I'm standing here now and bad is a gross understatement. They were massacred without mercy or pity and they never stood a chance. There's also a great big ass spaceship lying here."

"Finding it's occupants first is more of a priority."

"Yeah that was my thinking too."

"How's Lois exactly?" Charles asks.

"She really needs a doctor."

"Take her to the medical centre. It will give you a chance to pick Jean up. You are probably going to need her."

"What about our two _visitors?" _Logan wonders what Chuck thinks they should do.

"Do we know where they are?"

"Not presently. Lane said they blurred off."

"The sun is already starting to charge their bodies but they can't possibly be as strong as Clark yet," Charles makes the educated assessment.

"Then we need to find them as soon as."

"Unfortunately, Logan, there's only one person who can possibly know what it is they are here for."

Clark and he ain't here.

"Take Lois to the medical centre and pick up Jean," Charles directs Logan. "Once that is done we'll plan the next step."

"You're just buying time hoping Space Boy shows up," Logan makes his judgement.

"Logan, just do what I say," Charles orders, his usual calm tones hardened as Logan has rarely heard them.

"Roger that," Logan concedes.

* * *

**Kawatche Caves...**

Aethyr and Nam-Ek enter the caves at a slower, human-like pace and walk all the way up to the plinth. Nam-Ek places his hand over the indent where the 3 elements were designed to be brought together. "Kal-El has been here. It's been active," he reports from what he can sense.

"Then the means of Zod's release is only all the closer," Aethyr takes a somewhat positive view of this before asking the very practical question, "Where is Kal-El now?"

Nam-Ek lifts his hand and turns to look at his cousin. "If he was indeed raised in the local habitation there must be humans he associated with. One will know of his true heritage and will either lead us to him or he will come to us for them," he proposes the next course of action.

Aethyr does not argue with the plan.

Nam-Ek takes steps to leave but pauses when he sees Aethyr's momentarily sad look as she studies the cave. He touches her arm. "Aethyr...we will bring Krypton back," he assures her of what he knows she is sad about. This outpost is a painful reminder of the world they have lost.

"Of course. Forgive me," she asks his tolerance of her moment of emotional weakness.

"You need not ask. I miss it as much as you."

"Zod shall create a new, reborn Krypton, free of the flaws of the old. A world fit for true Kryptonians," Aethyr iterates the belief she has followed from the moment she chose to follow Zod.

"Yes. He will," Nam-Ek says with utter assuredness that that is so.

"Then let us depart," Aethyr says.

Nam-Ek nods and the 2 Kryptonians blur off into town.

Several moments after they leave there is a blinding flash of light and Clark and Rogue appear back next to the plinth.

Rogue takes a moment to reorientate herself. "All things considering that's still smoother than Nightcrawler," she quips.

Clark chuckles before they exit the small alcove and head outside. As soon as they do the acrid smell of smoke hits their noses and plumes of smoke can be seen in the distance in Smallville's direction. Clark's mood sobers immediately. He hadn't been sure how much time had passed. Enough for the meteors to bring their rain of destruction.

Rogue felt what she thought Clark was probably feeling too. Horror and sadness.

Clark activates his communicator. Now there were clear of the caves they should get a clear signal. "Superman to Professor Xavier, come in please."

There is a little static before the voice breaks through. "Superman. What's your status?"

"Rogue and I are fine. What's the situation?"

"Can you come to yo...what was the Kent farm," the Professor manages to correct himself in time. "I think it best we speak in person."

"We'll be there in a minute," Clark says and when Clark says that he means that literally. He turns to Rogue, picks her up bridal style and blurs off in the direction of his old home.

* * *

**Smallville's Mutant Community, formerly the Kent Farm...**

The Professor, Beast and Chloe, who is mightily relieved that Lois is alive if not exactly well, are outside, standing by the humvee they were given when the gust of wind signals Clark's arrival. He lowers Rogue to the ground and she takes a moment to fix her hair.

Clark takes a moment to look around what had been his home for so long with the rather ramshackle extra buildings. He notices some damage to them. Must have been a close one.

"So what's happening?" Rogue asks.

The Professor purses his lips as he wonders how to break this to Clark. "Clark...there's something you need to know."

Clark jumps in and guesses what the Professor is about to say. "There's 2 Kryptonians here."

Charles, Hank and Chloe look at him with complete surprise.

"Of course you knew that," Chloe says with grudgingly inevitability that Clark would know.

"Jor-El mentioned it," Clark reveals.

"In your ice castle at tha pole," Rogue says.

Charles, Hank and Chloe now look completely baffled.

Clark summarises what happened with him and Rogue. The 3 stones forming the crystal, being transported to the Arctic and the crystal building his 'Fortress of Solitude'.

The 3 listeners' eyes obtain a look of awed wonder as they imagine what this structure must look like.

Rogue rolls her eyes and clears her throat to snap them out of it.

"Clark, I must pass on some grave news. Our 2 visitors decimated a military unit sent to secure the ship," Charles says, uncomfortable at delivering this sort of news. He knows about Clark's extreme loneliness and that hearing how 2 others of his kind have committed such acts must be a terrible blow.

Clark closes his eyes momentarily as he absorbs the news. "I'm afraid it could only be the beginning. According to Jor-El they're referred to as the Disciples of Zod, his most loyal and fanatical followers...and chances are they are carrying out Zod's orders even though Krypton is long dead."

"What is their objective?" Hank asks.

"First and foremost...to free Zod." Clark gets some puzzled expressions so he explains. "For his crimes Zod was sent to some sort of inter-dimensional prison. It and he are still there. If you want details on how that works I don't have them," he cautions off getting asked a barrage of questions.

"How would they free him?" Chloe asks.

"Through the Fortress. Jor-El said only it can open a doorway."

"Do they know where it is?" Chloe continues.

"I don't think so."

"Then they would need someone to tell them," Chloe proposes.

"They're looking for me," Clark picks up Chloe's reasoning.

"Yes, Lois did say they moved off at superspeed," Charles can see how that makes more sense now.

"Lois?" Clark queries.

"She was there when they landed."

"Is she alright?"

"Logan found her and she was hurt. He's taking her to the medical centre for treatment."

Good. As annoying as Lois is Clark wouldn't want to see her hurt...well not in any permanent way at least. What to say to her about what she saw...figure it out later. Deal with his 2 fellow Kryptonians first.

"Wait," Rogue says. "Can we even beh sure they know you're here?" she wonders because how could they know.

"No," Clark gives the bluntly true response. "But I think it's safer to assume they do. Question is if they're superspeeding around looking for me how do I find them?"

"Yell real loud," Rogue suggests considering Clark's and presumably his fellow Kryptonians' superhearing.

"Superhearing doesn't just kick in like that. If they just got here their bodies will still be charging. The strength, speed and invulnerability always kick in first. The senses come later," Clark nips that idea in the bud.

"Clark...if you find them what are you going to do?" Charles asks.

"Talk to them. Give them a chance."

"What!" Rogue almost shouts. "Clark they killed people!"

"I know, Rogue," Clark says in sad acknowledgement of that fact. "But we're all that is left. I've got to give them one chance to see that they don't have to continue on this path." He looks at her with a pleading expression. "Please say you understand," he asks of her.

Understanding Clark...that's been the major problem lately in their relationship. Rogue can see him waiting for her response expectantly...hopefully. "Ah understand," she says although she doesn't completely. She just hopes Clark can't tell that from her expression.

"As much as we wish diplomacy wins the day Clark what if it doesn't?" Hank inquires about the other scenario.

"I haven't worked that out yet. They shouldn't be as powerful as me yet so it should be possible to defeat them if it comes to it. Doesn't help we lost those weapons at Magneto's," Clark laments a little. Weapons designed to defeat him would be useful right now.

"Well we could always chuck a few meteorite rocks at them," Chloe suggests in jest. "Or make a prison cell make out of kryptonite bricks," she adds laughing, completely meaning it as a joke.

Clark turns his intense blue gaze at his friend. "Chloe...you're a genius," he says as her words spark an idea in his head.

"I am?" Chloe questions, sounding surprised Clark said that before she says with more confidence, "Of course I am."

"You have a plan," Charles guesses.

"Half of one," Clark says. "But it still needs us to find them...and shovels. We're going to need shovels."

The other 4 people present just stare at him. Either Clark has improvised a brilliant plan...or he's completely lost it.

* * *

**Smallville Medical Centre...**

In many ways the corridors of the medical centre seemed chaotic. So many injured that they were lying out in the hallways.

Scott had managed to get a room to be treated and Jean had never left his side...nor had the little girl they found left Jean's. She had become rather attached to Jean as matter of fact. They still didn't know her name. She was too shy to tell them and Jean would not violate her mind and read it.

Scott lies there in some discomfort. He definitely isn't going to be doing much for a few weeks. The doctors had already told him that. His ribs were broken just as he speculated. Not to mention he is just generally banged up.

Scott has to give the doctors some credit for even treating him. Having explained he was a mutant, he had to so they wouldn't try and examine his eyes, he could see the discomfort in their eyes but they treated him anyway so proof that not everyone hates them.

Jean is holding his hand in her own. She is deeply concerned for her boyfriend's health. Although she still has no clue how she managed to survive unscathed and hasn't had a chance to ask Scott about it yet. Getting him treated was more urgent.

Then there is a commotion outside and Jean senses something strange. She lifts the little girl up on the bed next to Scott. "You stay here," she says to the girl in calm but nonetheless firm tones.

Jean shares a look and a brief psychic converse with Scott before she turns and steps out into the hallway. What she finds is a man and woman, both dressed in matching grey overalls as the source of the commotion. The woman has a security guard literally lifted off the ground by the throat with one hand with consummate ease. Jean reaches out with her telepathy and a puzzled expression comes to her face. She can sense their minds but can't read them. It's identical to the way she senses Clark's mind.

"Put him down!" Jean orders in a loud, firm and commanding tone, needing to save the guard before the woman strangles the guy to death.

The man and the woman turn their gaze to her and cock their heads as if assessing her.

"I won't ask twice," Jean warns them.

"Only one gives us orders...and you are not him," the man dismisses her in a heavily accented English that clearly indicates it is not his native language.

Jean's eyes narrow and she focusses her telepathy on the hand the woman has around the guard's throat and with an immense effort she wrenches it free.

The woman is visibly mildly surprised. "A mind mover," she says in the same heavily accented English. "I was not aware humans had evolved to such a level yet," she comments.

"Yeah...we're full of surprises."

The next thing Jean knows is that the man and woman blur. The man appears in front of her and she is so surprised she stumbles a few paces back...into the woman's arms. One arm wraps around Jean's throat with the other wraps around her body pinning her arms. Two immensely powerful arms that squeeze.

"Try anything and I'll squeeze harder," the woman states in a disturbingly cold and assured manner.

The man looks her over. "A more evolved human. He would be drawn to you. Where is he? Where is Kal-El?"

Jean's pupils dilate in surprise. A dead give away.

"You know him," the man observes from Jean's reaction. "Where is he?" he repeats his question.

"Where's who?" Jean pretends ignorance.

The man looks to the woman and she squeezes her arm around Jean's throat choking her.

"I will not repeat myself," the man warns sternly.

"I'm sorry. I really have no idea who you're talking about," Jean continues her ignorant act, protecting Clark despite the risk to herself.

Then you are of no use to us," the man states with cold finality.

Jean feels the hold on her neck tighten further and then release suddenly. She stumbles forward, turns round and sees the woman...with 3 metal claws rammed through her shoulder.

"Aethyr!" the man cries out. He blurs forward and tackles the man responsible. The man in the strange yellow and blue costume.

Jean watches the 3 wounds on the woman's shoulder heal up...slower than she has seen on Clark or Logan but definitely healing visibly before her eyes.

**Bamf!**

Kurt appears on the woman's back. "My apologies Fraulein," he says as he teleports away with her.

Nam-Ek pauses from his beating of the man who attacked Aethyr for one moment before he picks the assailant up and throws him literally through a wall. "What did you do to her?" Nam-Ek demands to know as he advances on Jean.

**Bamf!**

Kurt returns and pulls off the same trick and teleports away with the man.

Jean runs to where Logan was thrown to and finds him still snapping bones back into place. His bones can't be broken but they can be snapped out of place at the joints. Jean hates that sound. "Those were Kryptonians," she had managed to figure out.

"Yep," Logan confirms as she straightens out a few of his neck joints. "Thanks for distracting them," he adds because he basically walked in on the situation and this is his improvised plan.

"Where did Kurt take them?"

"Outside. Come on," he urges Jean to follow him.

Jean does so and once they reach outside she finds the 2 Kryptonians fighting Iceman, Domino, Sunspot, the Scarlet Witch and Nightcrawler in the car park.

Sunspot flies into the male Kryptonian and begins to trade blows but the man is obviously far, far stronger than Roberto is. Not to mention his fighting skills look much superior. Sunspot is soon sent flying as Iceman slides in and starts to encase the male Kryptonian in ice.

As for the female Kryptonian she is getting a shock as her heat vision hits this mysterious scarlet red sphere of energy and emerges out the other side as a harmless spectrum of colour known as Earth as a rainbow.

Domino pelts the female Kryptonian with shots. On the highest setting her weapons at least sting the woman who raises her arms to shield herself from the annoying pin pricks.

Wanda slams a hex-bolt into the woman and she goes flying with a cry of pain.

Aethyr can't understand it. Under the yellow sun she is suppose to be nigh invulnerable but twice now she has been hurt. First by the man with the metal claws and second by this girl in red whose strange energy bolts hurt...really hurt. She needs a different approach she realises as Nam-Ek smashes his way loose of his icy prison. She spots the clawed man who hurt her. She narrows her eyes and they flash electric blue and she spots how his whole skeletal structure is covered in metal. That could work.

Aethyr blurs out of the way from another one of those energy attacks from the human girl dressed in red and behind the clawed man who she picks up and throws into the boy made of ice. She blurs past the mind mover, making sure to brush her and send her flying.

Jean swears as she hits the ground. God, even a minor contact with Kryptonians hurts.

Aethyr then starts to run around the 2 human females who were attacking her faster and faster, whipping up a whirlwind.

With Iceman down Nam-Ek is finally able to smash free of his icy prison. He had watched Aethyr's acts and understands her thinking. He blurs and picks up the others who attacked them one by one and throws them into the centre of the maelstrom Aethyr is creating before he joins her and increases the force. Soon they'll create enough centrifugal force to rip the humans apart.

As the suction increases and her feet start to lift off the ground Jean telepathically calls out for help. _"Professor!"_

* * *

**Smallville's Mutant Community, formerly the Kent Farm...**

Back at what use to be his home Clark is surveying over a map he had managed to borrow as he draws in pencil where it is they need to go. This for more Beast's benefit than his. Clark knows Smallville like the back of his hand.

He senses a presence near him as he stands at the kitchen table. "You have a question Ms Neramani," he says because she has been hovering around the edge for short while, ever since the Professor introduced him.

Lilandra can be very direct. Usually she is but with Superman it was different. She couldn't read his mind at all. It was so alien...so unusual from any mind she had ever sensed. She steps up to the table. "I don't mean to intrude."

"You're not," Superman assures her. He turns his head and gazes gently at her. "Please. Ask anything you wish and I'll answer it if I can."

"You cause...a few hostile thoughts in our community," she tells him what she has picked up from her fellow mutants.

Superman smiles as if it is funny. "Would these thoughts come from those once incarcerated at Belle Reve?"

Lilandra takes a moment to check that. "Yes," she says in surprise that he knew that.

"Well then the answer is simple. They have hostile thoughts because I put them there." Clark had pretty much guessed it from the expressions he gotten that the meteor mutants he stopped remembered him in some fashion. He hadn't had the time to ask what it was they remembered precisely.

"You're Smallville's mysterious vigilante," Lilandra says as if this is some revelation of confirmation of a great myth.

"Smallville's what?" Superman asks with a bemused expression.

"Smallville's mysterious hero," Chloe phrases it as she joins in this conversation. Having overheard it she realised that Clark probably didn't know and that she needed to intervene. She continues, "You see everyone remembers someone intervening all those times over the years. When you were seen during the fight with the Sentinels they all recognised that someone as you." Chloe stares hard trying to get across her meaning that none of the people Clark took down remember it was Clark Kent that stopped them but all remember it as 'Superman' doing the deed.

"I see," Superman says with a little uncertainty but he thinks he's cottoned onto what Chloe is saying. Truth is Clark was wondering about the exact details of how he was remembered. That's another thanks he'll have to send Wanda's way that no remembers it being Clark Kent. Clark turns to face Lilandra dead on because there is something he needs to say. An issue that bugs him that needs addressed. "We can all look back at our lives and have regrets. I'm safe in saying that, yes?"

Lilandra nods. "Yes," she agrees while wondering where he is going with this.

"I regret that I couldn't help the way you are. However I won't say that if I could go back and do it over that I would do it differently. At the time I did all I was capable of doing and that was stopping innocent people getting hurt. I only hope in time those who have deemed I have crossed them can understand why I did what I did. It was not a judgement on them."

"That may take some work," Lilandra cautions because the hostility was quite deep rooted.

"I have time," Superman says with a small wry gallows smile. Time is one thing he has an eternity of. "In many ways you are outdoing a so-called Superman. You should be very proud of everything you have accomplished here," he lavishes praise on Lilandra.

"I am," Lilandra says.

Just then Clark hears the Professor call him from outside. He excuses himself leaving Lilandra with Chloe.

"You were right about him," Lilandra says to Chloe in reference to things Chloe has said about Superman. He was an intriguing and strangely humble young man.

"Yeah," Chloe says.

"Who is he?" Lilandra asks.

"Not my story to tell."

Lilandra looks at Chloe curiously and picks up her thoughts of _"Purple monkey dishwater. Purple monkey dishwater. Purple monkey dishwater."_

Lilandra smiles. Chloe was a good and loyal friend and she will not intrude further into her young friend's thoughts.

* * *

Outside Clark zips over to the Professor who had just gotten off the line with Spider-Man and Shadowcat a short time ago. They had survived unscathed and were still helping assist people which was good.

"You called Professor," Clark says who observes that the man in the wheelchair is very tense looking.

"I just received a telepathic SOS from Jean," Charles reports.

"It's them," Clark guesses.

"The X-Men in trouble...and you were correct. The two Kryptonians are looking for you," Charles had managed to get from Jean.

Clark does have a plan but he needed more time than this. He improvises. "Tell Jean to tell them she knows where I am and will take them to me as long as they agree not to hurt anyone."

Charles blinks. "Clark?"

"Do it Professor," Clark insists.

Charles closes his eyes and passes the message on.

* * *

**Outside the Smallville Medical Facility...**

Jean is close to throwing up as she spins round and round through the air, trapped within the confines of the twister the two Kryptonians have created, when she receives the instruction from the Professor. She doesn't know why but at the Professor's insistence she does it. "I know where Kal-El is!" she shouts. "I'll take you to him!"

Just like that the whirlwind she is in stops and she drops to the ground as does everyone else. Bobby throws up.

Jean is yanked to her feet roughly by the Kryptonian male.

"If this is a deception you shall not live long enough to regret it," Nam-Ek states.

"No tricks," Jean promises. "Just...don't hurt anyone else."

"Red? What ya doin?" Wolverine asks her, as he tries to make his head stop spinning.

"Trust me. I _know _what I'm doing," Jean says trying to get across with her words to let her do this.

"Where is Kal-El?" Aethyr demands, her tone showing her patience with these primitives has long since expired.

"I'll show you," Jean replies and then points in the direction the Professor is telling her to having remained in constant telepathic contact.

Nam-Ek heads in the direction Jean pointed dragging her along. Aethyr leaves too.

A short time after they leave Wolverine's communicator goes off. "Superman to Wolverine. You read me?"

"Space Boy, you and Stripes back?"

"Yes. The two Kryptonians. Are they gone?"

"You know about them?"

"Yes. It was my idea Jean lead them off."

"This better be a real good plan, kid," Logan says gruffly, unhappy at Jean leaving with those 2.

"Uh...good plan...well it's the best I could come up with in a few seconds."

"Oh boy. We're screwed," Domino mutters, listening in to this and trying to keep her stomach contents in her stomach.

"I may still need your help. Follow them at a safe distance," Clark instructs. "And I'm to remind you to drop Lois off first. That one is from the Professor."

Lois. They had left her in the vehicle they 'borrowed' from the military. "Will do," Logan agrees. "By the way where have you been?"

"Getting a good view of the Aurora Borealis. I'll explain later. Superman out."

* * *

**Smallville's Mutant Community, formerly the Kent Farm...**

Back with Clark and the Professor, Charles really hopes Clark knows what he is doing. Clark zips back into the house and returns with the map he was working on and hands it to the Professor. He points at a mark he has made. "This is where Jean needs to go," he tells the Professor to instruct Jean to lead the 2 Kryptonians.

"Clark...that's out in the middle of the woods," the Professor remarks.

"Yeah. Pete buried something there for me. Hence the shovel requirement."

"Clark...how dangerous is this?"

"If it works extremely so for me. If it doesn't extremely so for everyone else. If they listen to reason there is no danger for anyone," Clark lays out the possible outcomes as he sees it.

"We've got shovels!" Rogue announces as she returns holding one above her head. Beast is with her with one in each hand.

"Get in the humvee. We're short of time," Clark orders. "I'll explain on the way," he adds as an afterthought.

Beast and Rogue are puzzled but do what Clark says and get in the humvee...which Clark promptly lifts above his head and blurs off to their intended destination.

* * *

**Somewhere amongst the woods of Smallville...**

Nam-Ek and Aethyr's patience grows thin as the red-haired girl leads them deep into the wooded area.

Jean wonders just where it is the Professor is telling her to go. Up ahead she spots the ground has been dug up. The Professor telepathically tells her to stop. "We're here," she announces.

"You lie," Nam-Ek accuses her.

"Lying is their way," Aethyr makes the rather scathing criticism of the human race.

"I'm not," Jean insists. "He'll be here." '_Now would be good,' _she thinks to herself.

_Whoosh!_

"I heard you were looking for me."

Nam-Ek, Aethyr and Jean turn round as Clark has appeared behind them.

"I'm Kal-El."

He almost didn't have to say it. Aethyr can see how he is the spitting image of Jor-El. Also the fact he wears the symbol of his family on his chest...it could be a hopeful sign growing up here hasn't completely polluted his thinking.

Nam-Ek throws Jean away like a piece of garbage. "At last!" he announces.

"Who are you?" Clark asks them as a way to start a conversation.

"Like you we are the last survivors of Krypton," Aethyr describes themselves.

"What do you want?"

"We want you to join us, Kal-El, and help make this savage land our Utopia," Nam-Ek proposes.

Clark's brow furrows slightly. "I heard what you did at your ship. That wasn't Utopia. It was murder," he states sternly.

"The few must be sacrificed for the sake of the many," Nam-Ek argues rationally.

"Is that what Zod told you?"

Both Kryptonians have identical surprised looks.

"Yes. I know who you are," Clark explains for them. "It doesn't have to be that way," he begins to make his case. "Krypton is gone. We are all that is left. You have a choice right here and right now to start over. Choose a new beginning. Choose a new way of life."

"And lose the chance to go home?" Aethyr queries from him.

Clark's brow furrows more in puzzlement. She seems so certain in saying that. "What do you mean?"

"Krypton can be reborn, right here on Earth, Kal-El," Nam-Ek tells him.

"How?"

"Only Zod holds those answers," Aethyr answers...which is true. She doesn't know how. Only Zod does.

_'That sure is convenient,' _Clark mutters mentally to himself. "And what of humanity?" he asks. If Krypton is to be reborn on Earth what happens to the native people who live here.

"Sacrifices must be made," Nam-Ek repeats.

"Sacrifices must be made," Clark mutters in disgust as he can assume that means isn't good for the human race. "Is that what Zod said when he destroyed our home?" he asks, a long held anger slipping through his tone at losing the place he should have called home.

"Yes," Nam-Ek states, very calmly in matter of fact sort of tone.

"And are you going to continue along his path?"

"We pledged ourselves completely to General Zod," Aethyr states. "We swore it. For a Kryptonian it is an unbreakable oath."

"I see," Clark says, almost remorseful sounding. "Then I guess you have one more sacrifice to make. Me...because I'm not letting you hurt anyone else."

Nam-Ek and Aethyr look...regretful for a moment.

"If that is your decision, Kal-El, so be it." Aethyr accepts his choice...even if it is foolish. She moves her hands behind her back so Kal-El cannot see her as she slips a silvery metallic ring-like bracelet off her wrist. She then throws it directly at him.

At superspeed Clark twists his body out of the way and the bracelet flies by him. It flashes and the light expands into a circular ring of white light that is spinning round. More rings appear crossing at differing angles until they come together and form a circular portal. Within the portal the edges of some kind of tunnel through space appear as if lined with white crystals like the Fortress is constructed from and there is a dim white light far, far off in the distance at wherever the portal leads to.

There was a time when stuff like that seemed odd to Clark. It was last year. Ah, to wish for simpler times.

"We can't destroy you, Kal-El, but we can lock you in a place where you can't stop us," Nam-Ek says as he and Aethyr's eyes glow red.

Clark bends his knees and pushes off into the air somersaulting over the 2 blasts of heat vision and over the heads of the 2 Kryptonians before landing in a crouch behind them. "Heat vision blast into the portal to wheresever-ville. Wow, like I never saw that coming," he says with not so deft sarcasm.

Nam-Ek's face twitches in anger and he charges at Kal-El.

Clark, still in his crouched position, pushes himself up, adding a spin to his movement and perfectly timing a kick to Nam-Ek's head sending the male Kryptonian flying.

Aethyr, meanwhile, has pulled a knife out she kept in her boot, and attacks Kal-El.

Clark dodges the blow and grabs her wrist and twists it hard, using something Logan taught him about disarming someone. "You know you could hurt someone with that," he quips as he forces her to drop the knife.

Aethyr glares at him, her irises glowing red in fury.

Clark smirks a little and delivers a knee to her stomach followed quickly by two more, doubling her over, before delivering a downward blow to the side of her face knocking her down. Yeah he hit a girl. Funnily he isn't feeling all that guilty about it. Maybe the others are right. Maybe his behaviour is off. Clark doesn't have time to dwell on that as he hears the familiar whooshing sound of someone moving at superspeed.

Clark ducks under the blow that was coming and attacks Nam-Ek who recovers to deflect the blow and counters. Clark blocks. As Clark and Nam-Ek try to breach each other's defences Aethyr recovers and joins the fight once more forcing Clark to slip into superspeed and hope he is that much faster than them to fend 2 Kryptonians off at the same time.

For anyone watching them all they see are blurs of motion and the sound of trees snapping and falling over.

That is what Jean is witnessing as she recovers from where she had been thrown down hard. Hard enough to daze her for several moments. Jean feels a couple of pairs of hands grab her and help her up. "Beast? Rogue?" she queries at her helpers.

Rogue and Beast had been hiding a short distance away.

"Good to see you Jean," Beast says.

"Yeah. It's great," Rogue says with a drop of her trademark sarcasm. "Come on. We need your powers," she adds as she pulls Jean to that hole that had been dug. Dug by Rogue and Beast.

Jean peers down inside it and spots green bricks. "Is that kryptonite?" she asks.

"Yeah," Rogue says. "You're going to use it to surround them," she explains while making a circular motion with her finger trying to illustrate what they want Jean to do. Clark had explained how he 'liberated' these from this gang of youths who were using it to make themselves superstrong by inhaling the vaporised rock...which is an idea so stupid even Rogue couldn't come up with a cutting remark to illustrate the level of stupidity.

Jean gets it. "But Clark..."

"Accepts this is really going to hurt," Beast makes a limp joke. "It is his plan after all," he makes the point to Jean.

The sounds of the unseen fight rage all around them and a small shockwave nearly knocks the 3 mutants over.

"Any time Jean," Rogue presses urgently.

Jean raises her right hand to her head and reaches out with her left as she raises the bricks into the air and takes control of every single one. She turns round just to see the 3 blurs come back into focus with Clark being pinned down on the ground by the Kryptonian male while the female rains blows on him. Both other Kryptonians have noticeable injuries on their faces that are healing.

Rogue's eyes widen in panic and worry at seeing her boyfriend get the crap beaten out of him.

Aethyr delivers a powerful blow making blood fly from Clark's mouth. "Hold him," she tells Nam-Ek who locks Clark into a choke hold while Aethyr retrieves her knife.

"You fight well Kal-El," Nam-Ek has to give praise as he struggles to hold down the possibly stronger Kryptonian. It is almost a shame they have to do this.

"Logan will be so glad you said that," Clark chokes out.

Aethyr returns and stands over them, a killer's look in her eyes. "You were a fool to reject us Kal-El," she spits angrily at him. His decision will make it harder and delay them in achieving their goals.

"Foolish decision are sort of my speciality," Clark quips.

Aethyr raises the knife to deliver the killer blow, aiming directly at Kal-El's heart.

Clark kicks out at her kneecaps hard and she falls down where he wraps his legs around her neck in a scissor hold. At the same time he reaches back and tries to get a firm as grip as possible on Nam-Ek. "Now would be good Jean!" he grunts through his struggles.

With Clark holding them in place Jean sends the few dozen green bricks through the air to where the 3 Kryptonians lie locked together in combat. The bricks fall to the ground forming a circle around the 3 Kryptonians. The bricks glow brightly and the 3 Kryptonians cry out and begin to writhe on the forest floor in agony.

Beast runs forward, picks Clark up and throws him over his shoulder and carries him back to Jean and Rogue and away from the kryptonite. He lays Clark down.

"Ok, that hurt," Clark will confess. Even through the protection of his costume that hurt because those bricks were refined, pure kryptonite.

Just then Wolverine, Domino, Sunspot, Nightcrawler, Iceman and the Scarlet Witch finally catch up.

"What kept you?" Beast jokes dryly.

Logan gives Beast the evil eye for that one.

"Help me up," Clark requests.

Beast does so while keeping a close eye on the 2 Kryptonians. It was a bitter irony how the very home that gave them life could now incapacitate and possibly kill beings of such power.

Clark staggers as close as he dare to the 2 Kryptonians. His eyes glance briefly at the portal which is still open. "Last chance," he says. "I won't give another. Choose your path," he asks his fellow Kryptonians.

"W-we shall not betray Zod," Nam-Ek says through gritted teeth at the indescribable agony he is currently enduring.

"You are the traitor for choosing these primitives over your own kind," Aethyr adds through her own gritted teeth as the paralysing pain and weakness spreads.

Clark's face grows sad. "So be it." He looks away. "Sunspot...throw them into the portal," he says, his heart heavy at being forced to do this. They said it would send him to a place he couldn't stop them so logic says it is some place that could hold them. In fact he suspects he might know where it is the portal goes.

Roberto grins savagely as he powers up. "With pleasure," he says with relish after the thrashing they got back in the medical centre car park.

Sunspot walks up to the 2 prone Kryptonians and cracks his knuckles before he picks the male Kryptonian up and throws him, quickly followed by the female. "Adeus!" he shouts at them as he waves them farewell.

The two Kryptonians fly into the portal which flashes and transforms into a flat glass prism like object in which you can see the 2 Kryptonians as if they are pinned inside up against the surface. The prism hovers there spinning before it soars off into the sky and out of view.

It was over.

* * *

_Author's Note: I figured I had to deal with what did all those meteor infected people Clark stopped remember now after Wanda's little spell and so I came up with that they remembered being stopped by some unknown, at the time, vigilante and not by Clark Kent. __The kryptonite bricks are from the season 2 episode Witness. I felt like Clark would give the 2 Kryptonians once chance to choose another path. Of course they would reject it and now he's all alone again. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; The X-Men tie up the last few ends before they head home and Clark and Jor-El have a long overdue father/son talk._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Did ve vin?" Kurt asks, sounding surprised that they have appeared to.

"Yes, Kurt. We won," Clark says very sadly.

"Too bad they were evil. Especially the chick," Iceman says because she was seriously hot in that evil killer chick way.

"I hear you," Sunspot says in rare agreement with Bobby. "Did you see the tight little ass on her?" he asks because it was truly spectacular.

"Sure did," Iceman says with a lecherous grin.

Clark stomps off making sure to roughly bump into both Sunspot and Iceman as he goes. Rogue chases after him.

"Was was that for?" Bobby complains as he rubs his shoulder where Clark bashed him.

"You two are morons," Domino insults them. She thinks he knows what is eating Clark.

"How are we?" Roberto asks as he powers down.

Beast explains. "In the space of a short span of time Clark has gone from discovering he is in fact not the last of his species, only to find that they are fanatical followers of the person responsible for the destruction of his planet and now he has just had to exile them, I assume is what happened. Therefore he has, thus, just once again, condemned himself to being the sole survivor of his species."

"And you two idiots decided to make dirty jokes," Logan makes it clear for them. Lord even he isn't that insensitive. "Expect extra sessions with me when we get home," he promises them.

* * *

"Clark!" Rogue shouts after him. He hadn't superspeeded away yet but even so he was walking fast. "Wait!" she pleads.

Clark pauses and lets Rogue catch up. He turns his head and Rogue can see the sadness deep in his expressive blue eyes.

"Are ya alright?" she asks and gets a certain annoyed look. "Dumb question," she says while she mentally cringes at herself.

"Yes. It was," Clark confirms for her, his tone sharp and waspish. Physically, of course, he was and the sun's influence was already washing away the lingering effects of the kryptonite. Emotionally it was much more complicated.

"Those 2...ya know they're idiots."

Clark sighs. "That's not why I left."

Rogue blinks. "It's not?"

"No. Remember that the Disciples came in a ship that is still sitting there. I have to go deal with that and then remember my promise to Jor-El. That I would return immediately after I stopped the Disciples. Going to see him comes next."

"What are ya going ta do?"

"If necessary pick up that ship and carry it to the pole. Jor-El will probably know what to do with it."

"And it's occupants...what happened back there?" Rogue hasn't figured out yet.

"I have a theory. I need to speak to Jor-El to confirm it."

"Ah'll come with ya," Rogue decides.

"No." It's a firm statement of refusal.

"Why not?"

"Rogue...trust me. I'll handle this. It's about time Jor-El and I sorted out a few things and that may take awhile and you feel the cold a lot more than I do. What I need you to do is stay here and make sure those kryptonite bricks are taken care of."

"Rebury them?"

"No. Pack them up and take them to the Institute."

"Why?"

"Because I'll feel safer with them under the care of people I trust rather than left out here. I should have dealt with them before now."

"And because they can be used to make more weapons," Rogue argues, still unhappy about that.

"I don't have time to discuss that right now. When I get back I promise we'll talk about all the things we need to. Look, I need to go and you and the others need to help the town's folk. I'll be back as soon as I can to help." With that Clark blurs off.

Rogue stands there and places her hands on her hips, an unhappy frown on her face. Her head then suddenly flares up in pain, like someone drove a spike into it. Her hand goes to her head and amidst the pain there is a pick up in the chatter in her head. Normally the voices of the people she absorbs are sort of like muffled away in the distance but right now it's like she is standing in the middle of the group as they talk loudly and then just as suddenly as it is flares up it is gone.

_'What was that?' _Rogue asks herself. She hasn't felt anything like that since...well the closest experience was when she was tied down by that doctor at Belle Reve who was trying to learn Clark's secrets. He pumped her full of some kryptonite drug that broke down her mental barriers allowing the voices out.

Rogue wonders...the machine at Magneto's base. She thought it hadn't affected her. Maybe it did in some delayed fashion. She'll talk to Mr McCoy about it when they get home. For now she feels back to normal and they do have a lot to do. That takes priority. She turns round and heads back to rejoin the others.

* * *

Clark zips along to where he thinks the ship is. He got it's location off the Professor who got if off Logan but his 'fitness' teacher doesn't know Smallville all that well. Anyway time is short since the military know where it is. They'll send more. That only takes time.

It takes a small search before he comes to a stop near the black ship. Well that sure was more impressive than his own little ship. He has ship envy.

He's in luck. The military haven't come back yet. Clark takes a moment to look at the carnage his 2 fellow Kryptonians caused and guilt wells up inside him that he hadn't been here to prevent this.

There is so much he wishes he could do for these people. Unfortunately it is too late for him to do anything. All he can do now is make sure this ship can't harm anyone else.

Clark walks up to it and runs a hand over the black surface which is surprisingly cool to the touch. Small dots of white energy appear all around where Clark's hand is touching. They coalesce together and a white energy beam strikes him sending him flying through the air to land hard enough to carve out a small crater with his body.

Clark then watches as the ship becomes criss-crossed with bluish-white lines of energy before it vanishes in front of his eyes. Clark picks himself up. His jacket is scorched black where he was struck and that really smarted. He walks to where the ship was. There is nothing left. No trace it was ever here.

One might assume it self-destructed or something but Clark doesn't think so. Call it a hunch but he just knows that ship is still around somewhere. He knows who he can ask about it.

With nothing more to be done here he zips back to the caves.

* * *

**The Fortress of Solitude...**

Clark reappears in a flash of light. It had taken him a moment to work out he could use the key to activate this...um...

"Portal," Jor-El responds to Clark's thoughts. "We called them portals. The one in the cave is also a receiving station. It allowed travel to Earth as easily as you travelled here."

Clark takes a moment to absorb that stupendous fact. "You mean you could almost just walk to Earth from Krypton?" he asks for that incredible concept to be confirmed.

"Indeed, Kal-El," Jor-El confirms how that was the case.

"I succeeded in my mission. The Disciples are gone."

"You have done well, my son," Jor-El praises him.

"I have a question. That ring they used. It opened a doorway to this Phantom Zone you mentioned didn't it?"

"Your guess is accurate," Jor-El confirms.

"They can never come back?"

"The key they used was for opening one-way portals into the zone only. To create an exit portal can only be done through this Fortress and only if you open the doorway."

"What is this place really?" Clark asks.

"A monument, a repository, the core of Krypton's knowledge and technology preserved past it's own destruction. A place where your people's history is preserved for you to learn who you really are and where you come from."

"Can anyone find this?"

"The Fortress is undetectable by any means of surveillance humans possess and if someone should stumble upon it it possesses defence systems, both passive and offensive."

"Like?"

"A passive method of deterrent would be that the Fortress will generate an intense storm should someone approach forcing them to turn around."

Ok. That sounds not so bad. At least it isn't killing people. "And offensive?"

"As you may imagine, my son, we possessed forms of defensive technology beyond what humans can even imagine. That is only one of many things I need to teach you."

"We'll get to that but first I have to ask about the 2 from the ship. Do you know their names?" Clark asks, since he never did find out and he feels like he should know the names of the people he's sent to some prison forever.

"Nam-Ek and Aethyr. Two of Zod's most loyal and ruthless lieutenants."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Clark asks about why he never knew that he wasn't alone.

"Tell you that the only survivors of our race are irredeemable criminals. Monsters who killed without remorse or pity. Whose crimes are virtually unspeakable. Do you think you were ready for such a burden?"

Clark looks into himself. "No," he says with a sigh.

"I understand Kal-El. Your desire to not be alone. I am sorry our race's tragedy falls upon you. If it can provide any comfort I can assure you the majority of our people were not like them."

"Why could no others be saved?" Clark asks a question that has often crossed his mind. "If the Disciples escaped why no others?"

"The risk was too great."

"What risk?"

"That Zod's poison could escape Krypton. That could not be allowed. During the war all methods of interplanetary travel were deliberately destroyed so that neither Zod nor any of his followers could leave. No-one was to leave the planet until after the war was resolved."

"Except for me."

"I violated the Council's edict when I constructed your ship...but I could not let you die with us," Jor-El says, a tinge of sadness in his tone which is more emotion than Clark has ever heard before. "You are our redemption Kal-El. You are Krypton's legacy which is why I am so insistent on your path."

"More like domineering," Clark mutters. He runs his hand through his hair as he sits himself down on a raised ice platform. "The ship vanished when I went to it. It's not destroyed is it?"

"No. What you witnessed was a Trans-Warp jump."

"It moved somewhere else."

"Yes."

"You're not telling me something," Clark just has a feeling. "Come on. Spit it out before it bites me in the ass."

"Your language leaves a lot to be desired Kal-El," Jor-El criticises.

"Yeah, well, your withholding information from me leaves a lot to be desired in terms of your parenting skills," Clark retorts.

"What you encountered was not a ship...precisely. It is my...failure," Jor-El says with a tone of deep regret.

"What do you mean?" Clark asks, puzzled by that.

"The war had caused the destabilisation of Krypton's planetary core. There was a risk of a chain reaction amongst the radioactive elements within the core, resulting in Krypton's destruction. As the planet's chief scientist I was tasked with finding a solution. The solution came in the form of a technology created a century earlier by one of Krypton's finest scientists, Dax-Ur. The technology carried great risk. It was the ability to destroy worlds. Dax-Ur, himself, could not carry this burden upon his conscience, the fact he created the potential for such destructive power and vanished never to be seen again."

"This technology...you thought it could save Krypton," Clark deduces.

"Programmed correctly with proper safeguards I believed it would not only stabilise the core but help in the rebuilding afterwards. To this end it required what you would call an Artificial Intelligence. It required to think and to innovate. I dubbed my creation the Brain Interactive Construct, shortened to Brainiac. In a short time after it was made functional it proved to be so successful the Council decreed it was to be given control over all automated systems that were under the Council's control."

"What happened next?" Clark asks since Jor-El called it his failure so something must have happened.

"Zod. He managed to override my safeguards and corrupted Brainiac's programming, making it serve him. After Zod's defeat Brainiac carried out it's final command from it's master. Instead of stabilising the core as it was suppose to Brainiac pushed it past the critical point from which there was no return. From today's events we can make the following assumption that it then constructed the ship you encountered to hold it's program and took the 2 Disciples off the planet before Krypton's destruction."

"What will Brainiac do?"

"Endeavour to finish what the Disciples failed to do. Free it's master."

"How?"

"It can take many forms. Imitate perfectly its own creators, including our gifts given to us by the yellow sun."

"But only I can free Zod," Clark reiterates what Jor-El said.

"Yes."

"So it must either trick me or force me to do so."

"Your analysis is correct, Kal-El. How it will do this I cannot anticipate. I suspect Brainiac will take some time analysing its current situation before acting. You must be watchful and wary for its return."

"I will," Clark promises although how he'll do that he doesn't know. "What about this training you mentioned? Before you speak know I will not accept staying up here indefinitely. I have much to do back home."

"You are badly in need of rest Kal-El. I know of your mental troubles."

"Yeah and whose fault is that?" Clark accuses. "And no way in the name of Rao am I trusting you to poke around in my head again. You can forget it. I'll tear this place down first. To hell with you and to hell with Krypton's legacy!" Clark snaps, his temper close to being lost completely.

There is an uncomfortable silence that prevails for awhile.

Clark's temper calms. He hadn't meant to snap. It is just...how can he trust Jor-El with his mind ever again after the summer? He lets out a weary breath and rubs his face. "I went to Nova Roma," he mentions in a quiet tone, just feeling like a change of subject might be good.

"A place I remember fondly," Jor-El replies, his tone much softer, almost nostalgic as if he is reminiscing.

"Yeah but did you have to sleep with Selene? I'm never getting that image out of my head you know," Clark complains, making a suitable face of revulsion.

"A...misjudgement on my part," Jor-El confesses. "I did not know her true nature although she was most lovely to look at."

"That's not helping."

"You are young Kal-El and still have much to learn in the area of the heart...as did I at that time."

"Yeah, probably but why couldn't you tell me about this last time I asked?"

"You had a trial to complete. That took precedent."

Clark sighs. Trials, tests, his whole life seems to be dominated by them. "Did you?" he asks suddenly.

"Did I what, my son?"

"Debate with your father what you learned on Nova Roma," Clark asks about something he remembers from the memory pendant.

"Frequently and passionately. All I ever wished was to make Krypton better, to save our race from our own arrogance and indolence. We had become so set in our ways, convinced we had achieved some form of perfection and we had lost that drive, the dynamism that got us to that point in the first place. We were stagnating as a civilisation. Zod saw it too but his solution to the problem was...extreme, as you know."

"Overthrow the authorities and put himself in charge, you mean?"

"Yes."

"You sound...sad?"

"No-one starts as evil, Kal-El. Zod was once much like myself and sought peaceful reform. He was my friend and I had to watch as he became lost to his own internal darkness. I will not watch you, my son, fall as well. It is why I am so harsh. I must be."

"Or you could have trust in me. How about that?"

"Remember what I said, Kal-El. There are two moments for you to seize your destiny. The 1st has passed. The 2nd draws nearer every day."

Clark quietly groans. Back to the destiny stuff. "Don't suppose you care to enlighten me on what this day is?"

"You are not ready."

"How did I know you would say something like that," Clark mutters in complaint. "Look, I do wish to know about home but I can't stay here. There are so many people that require my help. You understand that, I think...or at least the you, you were, that went to Nova Roma...he would."

"There are many aspects of your thinking I don't agree with, my son."

"Yeah and was that any less true with you and your father? And is that necessarily a bad thing?"

Clark blinks in surprise at what happens next. Jor-El reluctantly chuckles. Clark never imagined to hear Jor-El laugh. Wasn't sure Jor-El even had a sense of humour.

"Does that mean you agree with me?" Clark asks, hopeful for a moment.

It's a short moment. "No. I still believe you too clouded by human emotion. However, I am impressed by how you passed the trial of the elements despite those limitations."

"Um...thanks...I think," Clark says with a puzzled brow.

"You may return to your friends, Kal-El," Jor-El permits him. "We shall discuss your training another day."

"You serious?" Clark asks, taken aback by that. He never thought he would see the day Jor-El would let him off doing something.

"I can sense your weariness Kal-El. You need rest. In your current state I don't believe you could absorb your training with the completion required. I will summon you when I believe you ready."

"Um, wow, ok. Not sure what to say to that one."

"Thank you, father, would be sufficient."

Clark doesn't say that. He gets to his feet. "Before I go, just to clarify, my mother was better to look at than Selene, right?"

"Your mother put into the shade the shinning moons of Krypton."

That idea makes Clark smile. He makes ready to leave but before he does he has 3 more words to speak. "Thank you...father."

* * *

**Smallville Medical Centre...**

Chloe had arrived and was checking up on her cousin. She rushes over to the bed Lois is in and gives her cousin a great big hug.

"Easy there, couz. You might give people the wrong idea," Lois jokes.

Chloe makes a face at Lois for that comment. "So how are you, really?" she asks, wanting to know how Lois actually is.

"Well my head hurts," Lois complains first off. She had stitches in the cut on her head. "And my knee is messed up worse than a boxer's face after 30 rounds. You know they want me to stay in here for a week!" she complains in shrill tones.

"Well you should do what the doctors say, Lois. Besides if your knee is that bad you're not going to be doing much anyway," Chloe argues.

"But I hate sitting around, Chlo," Lois whines.

Chloe knows that. God does Lois ever complain when she is bored and has nothing to do.

Lois' expression changes. It becomes reflective. "Chlo," she says softly.

"Yes, Lois?"

"I saw a spaceship today and aliens."

"Oh, um, you sure?" Chloe asks, trying to think of what to say that protects Clark. "I mean you did hit your head."

"Don't patronise me Chloe," Lois says sternly.

"I'm not, Lo. Believe me I wouldn't do that but that field where you said it was...there's nothing but a hole in the ground. Mr Logan told me." Which is true. She spoke to him before she came see Lois and he had just gotten back from the fight with the 2 Kryptonians and had checked on the ship and it was gone. Probably because Clark took it for reasons which Chloe totally understands.

"I know the truth Chloe. I saw it with my own eyes," Lois persists.

"Then I believe you, Lo," Chloe says because she can't sit here and accuse her cousin of lying.

"People need to know what happened here today," Lois says with determination.

Oh boy. "Lo. I believe you but there's no evidence."

"All the military personnel that were killed," Lois argues.

"Meteor strike they're saying," Chloe gives what the military are actually saying about that. The cover-up has already started.

"Oh what a load of hogwash!" Lois spews, unable to believe she is hearing that.

"Lois..." Chloe starts to say.

"I saw what happened Chloe! I was there! They can't do that!"

"They are doing it Lois. I'm not happier about it than you are but the bottom line is that there is no evidence. Without evidence there is nothing we can do. Any story we write would look like science fiction and I don't want to kill my career any more than I have already when I made my deal with Lionel Luthor by writing a story we can't substantiate. I'm sorry Lois. You have to accept reality."

"The hell I do," Lois denies that.

Chloe takes Lois' hand into her own. "Hey. Look, you know I will back you up over anything but really think about what you are saying. You want to claim aliens are real without one shred of proof. If someone else had proclaimed that before today you would have laughed your head off at them."

"Well, ok. I probably would have," Lois concedes. "And given them several cutting remarks."

"Yeah. There's that too."

Lois lets out a loud sigh. "Dammit. You have to admit though that would be a hell of a story."

"Yeah. It would," Chloe knows and she could have written it herself nearly a year ago after learning the truth about Clark but she wouldn't do that to him.

"I'm not giving up on it, Chlo. There has to be some proof. Those men's families deserve better than some cock and bull story."

This is the difficult part of knowing Clark's secret. Lois isn't wrong. The families do deserve better than some cock and bull story yet to protect Clark Chloe just has to let the lie be told.

"And what about the aliens? What were they doing here? Were they just the first? Is it..."

"Whoa there couz. Slow down. Remember you're stuck in this bed for a week and that leg will probably take longer than that to heal completely," Chloe advises, partially out of genuine concern for Lois' health. "The answers will still be there. The truth can't be buried forever."

Lois takes a breath and calms herself. "Yeah. You're right Chlo. What would I do without you, huh?" she asks with a wry grin.

Chloe smiles but on the inside she is hating herself for lying through her teeth.

"I'll find the truth, Chloe. I promise you that," Lois swears.

"Guess I am turning you into a reporter after all."

"Must be in the genes. So you'll help?"

"Sure, Lois," Chloe says with zero enthusiasm and a mental cringe because to protect Clark she just told another lie. She can't help. Worst. Cousin. Ever. That's what she is. Some days Chloe hates being her.

* * *

"Why is she on the ceiling?" Jean wants to know. She had come back to see Scott and found the little girl they saved had decided to stick to the ceiling.

"I'm at a loss," Scott admits. "I don't think it was anything I said."

"That means it was something you said," Kitty smart-mouths off. Yes, she's there too. She and Peter finally managed to catch up with everyone. Heck they're all here to do a regroup.

Jean finds she agrees with Kitty. Scott could be monumentally insensitive at times even if he is not meaning to. She tries to encourage the girl down with no luck.

Kitty look to her boyfriend. "Spidey, you think you could?" she requests, gesturing with her head by nodding in the direction of the ceiling.

"Leave this to me," Spider-Man promises. He jumps to the wall and pushes himself off and flips to land on the ceiling and sticks there in a crouch. "Hi there!" he waves goofily at the little girl. "It's nice to have company, isn't it."

"H-how do you stick?" the little girl asks because he wore clothes and she needed to have bare hands and feet.

"Oh sorry. That's a trade secret," Spider-Man jests. "So what did the mean man in the red visor say to you?"

"I didn't say anything," Scott insists.

"Shh," Jean tells him off and lightly slaps him on the shoulder.

Spider-Man crawls up close. "If you want you can whisper it in my ear," he says in soft reassuring tones.

She seems unsure of that before leaning up to his ear and whispering. No-one else hears what she says.

"Uh huh. I see," Spider-Man comments with a nod of his head as he listens. "Ok. That's definitely means he deserves a wedgie."

Kitty bursts out into a laugh before she can cover her mouth and nose with her hand.

"I didn't say anything," Scott once more insists, throwing his hands up in aggravation.

Spider-Man manages to convince the girl to come down and he wraps an arm around her before dropping serenely to the floor. He doesn't reveal what she said keeping it a secret. He looks to Jean. "You mentioned something about a woman who's in charge of the mutants around here?"

"Yeah. She's here with the Professor talking to the Mayor...I think," Jean qualifies herself.

Spider-Man looks down at the girl in his arms. "We'll go talk to her and see what she knows about your parents ok?"

The girl nods her agreement and Spider-Man carries her off.

That leaves Jean and Kitty to give Scott some looks.

"I didn't say anything!" he insists in exasperation that he isn't being believed.

Jean and Kitty share a look that shows how neither of them is believing that.

* * *

Out in the car park the Professor finds himself trying to be peacemaker between Lilandra, Mayor Tate, Sheriff Adams and the military commander. It's not easy to maintain some semblance of civilised discussion at times.

At the moment Mayor Tate is attempting to give what sound like perfectly reasonable arguments as to why the meteor mutants in Lilandra's community shouldn't help with Smallville's rebuilding. The man is a consummate politician, trying not to sound offensive but the basis of his arguments are starkly simple. The offer is coming from mutants and they can't have that.

Lilandra had a few brief tempting thoughts about frying the Mayor's brain. Forgive her for being human. "Mayor Tate," she interjects into the conversation. "While a moment is needed to remember those we have lost today, we all wish to have Smallville restored as soon as possible, yes?"

Mayor Tate takes a moment to see if there is any point he can contest. There isn't. "Yes," he is forced to agree.

"Then please tell us how you will explain to the homeless and the bereaved why you are refusing to use a resource that could accomplish that faster because trust me that is a question that will be raised in the press," Lilandra makes the veiled threat.

"I-it's not that simple."

"Because we're mutants?"

"You're trying to put words into my mouth," Mayor Tate is too savvy to be caught out like that.

"Not at all," Lilandra feigns total innocence. Of course if she wanted to put words into his mouth...well she is a telepath ya know.

Charles intervenes. "Mr Mayor, if I may, I know today has been a tragedy but the sign of a truly great man is someone who takes a tragedy and turns it into something magnificent. This is an opportunity to turn Smallville into an example...a beacon of hope for the whole world. A demonstration of how mutants and humans can together create a better tomorrow out of the ruins of yesterday. You can be that man, remembered by history, who led the way. For the man who chooses that path will be revered as a visionary who was ahead of the pack."

Mayor Tate contemplates that. He feels he has done a more than satisfactory job being mayor but in the end he is only the mayor of a small town. He isn't getting younger and his chance at leaving a greater legacy is fading. This could be an opportunity to put himself in the history books. "You are right, Professor Xavier. This is an opportunity...but let us deal with the tragedy and mourning of this day first," he proposes.

"Of course," the Professor agrees.

Mayor Tate looks at Lilandra. "Ms Neramani, we'll talk tomorrow in my office if that is fine for you."

"Of course," Lilandra repeats the Professor's words. "I look froward to us working together, Mr Mayor."

Sheriff Adams discreetly rolls her eyes at how the Mayor has been suckered. Politicians. They're idiots...but she bites her tongue because as much as she has issues she also can't deny that Lilandra has helped keep things quiet around here. In the end she's a pragmatist and anything that helps keep law and order is something she supports.

The other 3 depart leaving the Professor and Lilandra.

"_Nicely played," _Lilandra telepathically compliments him.

"_Thank you," _Charles returns.

"_You know it doesn't change how he feels about mutants."_

"_For now the appearance he will put on matters more than his personal attitude. Once you and he have been seen in public agreeing to work together he'll have a hard time going back on his word. I do know that puts a burden on you too which I apologise for."_

"_No need, Charles. I knew the burden I would carry the day I chose to become the leader of our little community."_

"_Yes. You will have to tell me how that came about one day."_

"_Over dinner, perhaps?"_ Lilandra suggests.

"_Certainly...although I'm afraid with our respective responsibilities that may be awhile off."_

"_I can wait. I'm certain you're worth it."_

"_I'm certain I can say the same about you."_

"_Naturally," _Lilandra quips.

Charles laughs. Lilandra was quite a woman.

"_Didn't know you knew how to play politics," _she remarks, going back to that.

"_I've been forced to learn how to play."_

"_There are other games I could teach you to play," _Lilandra says with more than a flirtatious edge to her thoughts.

"_I'm sure I could teach you a few things too," _Charles ends up returning the flirtation and then can't quite believe he is doing it.

"_I look forward to that," _Lilandra says with a small eager grin.

Before the mental flirtations can continue Spider-Man arrives with the little girl. "Sorry to interrupt but I need help," he apologises.

"Not at all, Spider-Man," the Professor assures him that it is ok. "What is the problem?"

"She is," he says in reference to the little girl. "Oh this is Linda by the way," he reveals she told him her name. "We seem to have misplaced her parents...which I have total sympathy with. I misplaced myself about 5 years ago and I still haven't found...myself."

Charles shakes his head in acceptance of Peter's bad humour.

"Anyway I don't know how long it will take to find them and Linda doesn't have anywhere to go so..." he looks to Lilandra.

"We'll be more than happy to take her in until then," Lilandra makes the jump. She walks over and kneels down to the girl's height. "Hello, Linda. I'm Lilandra," she introduces herself with a kind, warm, open expression. "I promise we'll do all we can to find your parents."

Linda is a little unsure but there is something about this woman...like the red-haired girl, that gives a warm trusting feeling inside. She stretches out her hand and Lilandra takes it into her own.

Spider-Man bends down. "Well I guess this is goodbye but hey, if I'm in the area perhaps you and I can..._hang _around."

Both Charles and Lilandra groan at that but Linda giggles.

"Yay!" Spider-Man makes a small cheer. "Someone who likes my humour." Under his mask Peter grins at the fact he made the girl giggles before he departs to find Kitty. Maybe she can help him think of what he is going to say to his Aunt to explain where he has been all this time.

"I need to apologise," Charles says, feeling the time is coming where he and Lilandra must part for now and he wants to say this.

"Apologise for what?" Lilandra queries, puzzled.

"For not giving your situation here in Smallville more of my attention sooner."

"Charles," Lilandra says with an appreciative smile for his desire to help. "As I said earlier you cannot possibly fight every battle of mutantkind nor should you be expected to."

"Perhaps but as you said Smallville is also rather unique because of the influence of the meteors. Today may have only exacerbated the situation."

"You...you don't know," Lilandra realises something from his words.

"Don't know what?"

"After our reveal in the summer Lex had his men go all over Smallville and collect every piece of meteor rock they could find."

Charles is stunned by that piece of news. "For what purpose?"

"Officially just to clean it up, to make Smallville safer for its citizens."

"And unofficially?"

"You tell me. I suspect you know more about what the Luthors get up to."

Charles knows Lex and Lionel made some sort of deal with SHIELD about the stones...he wonders if that deal stretches into other areas. Could Lex be continuing Lionel's research into the meteor rocks which Charles knows did interest the military at one point. "I know nothing for certain...but I will make some inquiries," he promises. He looks up at the charming beautiful woman before him. "My X-Men and I are going home shortly for a brief rest but I promise you Lilandra, Smallville shall not be forgotten. We will offer what aid we can to help in its rebuild and I will offer what assistance I can to aid your situation here."

"We can discuss that over that dinner you promised me," she replies with a warm smile.

"I promised you?" Charles question that. She proposed it.

"A gentleman always offers the lady dinner. Surely you agree with that," she says with silky tones.

"O-of course."

"Then it's settled. When you need to contact me Chloe knows how. Seen you soon...hopefully," she says with the necessary sultry undertone and suggestive look.

Charles actually blushes slightly.

Not too far away, leaning against the wall of the medical centre, Logan is smoking one of his cigars. He snickers slightly at the scene before him of Chuck and the woman.

"What?" Storm asks as she is standing next to him.

"Oh I was just thinking how everything below the waist obviously isn't paralysed."

Ororo rolls her eyes. "Really Logan," she says with a small laugh she can't help as she playfully swats him. "I don't think today's the right moment for your dirty innuendos. Lets save it for a day when so many haven't been killed, hmm?"

"Whatever you say, darlin. Whatever you say."

* * *

There was still much to be done in Smallville. That was a fact. Another fact was that the X-Men had been on the go for over 24 hours, no rest, a period that includes the fight at Magneto's base. Truth is they were all running on coffee and willpower...with the possible exception of Clark whose body was fuelled by the near limitless energy of the sun. That's why the Professor had said to Lilandra they were leaving for a brief rest. They are...before they collapse.

On the flight home the Professor thought maybe he could send small teams back to Smallville in shifts to help. That would do it.

Clark hadn't joined them. Upon his return from...his Fortress of Solitude he called it he insisted on staying and helping in Smallville, using his powers to search for missing people amongst the ruins.

Upon returning to the mansion the rest of them wearily trudge towards their respective room. At the back of the group are Kitty and Peter. The latter has his mask off and is on the phone trying to explain to his aunt where he has been.

"I know I should have phoned sooner Aunt May...I'm sorry if I worried you...I just, uh, needed to be in Bayville while my girlfriend was off risking her life...I know that may not make sense..."

It's not untrue in a way.

"You want to talk to Kitty?" Peter says in surprise at what his aunt says next.

That wakes Kitty up. She was practically sleep-walking. She looks wide-eyed and in terror at Peter having not spoken to his aunt before.

Peter places his hand over the speaker. "Please. Just confirm that I've been here," he begs her.

Kitty can't say no to that face and takes the phone. "Um...hi, Mrs Parker. This is Kitty Pryde...yes Peter has been here. He's really like totally sweet in that way...uh huh...yes...ok...you know I know he's totally sorry for not phoning you and I'm sorry too. I guess I should have reminded him earlier...it's just been like a mega long day. Just got back from Smallville...yes I was there helping evacuate the town. That's what the X-Men do, we help people...uh huh...well I'm not sure...ok if you insist...it was nice talking to you too...I'll make sure Peter gets home as soon as. Ok. Bye Mrs Parker!"

Kitty hands Peter his phone back.

"Thank you," Peter says gratefully and kisses Kitty at the corner of her mouth.

"That's no problem. Your aunt's really nice," Kitty replies. "And she invited me over to dinner this Saturday," she drops the bombshell.

Peter stops dead. "Wha-huh!"

"She wants to meet me," Kitty says with an eerie calmness.

Ok, Peter knows he should have seen this coming. His aunt has been making hints at wanting to meet his girlfriend yet he is still surprise. "Are you ok with that?"

"Sure," Kitty says. "One thing though."

"What?"

"Catch me while I faint from the induced heart-freezing panic attack I'm about to have."

Peter looks at her oddly. Kitty's eyes roll into the back of her head and Peter's superhuman reflexes are pushed to the limit to catch her. He looks down at her face in its repose. Oh yeah. This Saturday is going to be a bundle of laughs.

* * *

_Author's Note: I felt it time for a slightly differently toned conversation between Clark and Jor-El. That's not to say they don't still have their problems. They do. It will be awhile before Brainiac returns. In fact it won't be in this story. As for Lois what I will do is use what happened to her to propel her to take charge of her life and pursue her goals and Clark is going to have work much harder to win her round to liking Superman given that her first glimpse of Kryptonians is them committing cold blooded murder. Take that to mean we'll be seeing more of Lois this story. In fact as a spoiler we'll be seeing more of Smallville in general and it's characters. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the X-Men get some rest and try to come to terms with everything that has happened these last few days._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**At the Institute...**

The next morning Jean enters the infirmary and smiles to see that Scott is awake. While the doctors in Smallville had let him come back home he was genuinely hurt and needed care and rest. She slides in next to the bed, bends down and gives him a kiss. "Good morning," she murmurs with her lips against his.

"It certainly is," Scott murmurs back because it is a good morning when Jean kisses him.

Jean smiles at hearing that as she sits herself down. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Scott grumbles.

"Well at least you have company," Jean manages to say that with a straight face.

Scott looks to his left. His company is a little purple dragon curled up asleep on the bed next to him. It's still weird. He turns back to Jean. "So how are you?" he asks, because one thing they haven't really talked about is how the hell she survived yesterday.

"I feel fine...great," she says with much surprise at how well and energetic she is feeling.

"Do...do you remember anything?"

Jean bites her lower lip a little and plays with her hair. "Nothing specific. A golden fire..." her voice drifts off into the distance. She snaps back. "I don't know Scott. Really I don't," she says in a small voice, as if afraid of what happened.

Scott reaches over and takes her hand into his. "It'll be alright. I promise. We'll talk to the Professor. He might have an idea."

Jean nods in agreement but her expression is still one of worried confusion. She cannot explain how she simply survived nor can she remember it...yet there is something inside her that warms her and tells her not to worry too much about it at the same time.

"Good morning, Jean," Hank greets her as he comes from his little office. Dr Strange is with him. Stephen had remained around until everyone was rested and up to speed. He would be leaving later this morning.

"Good morning, Mr McCoy, Dr Strange," Jean returns the greeting. "So how is our patient doing?" she asks after Scott.

"Grumpy and complaining."

"So just his normal then," she quips with a teasing grin.

"Jean!" Scott half-heartedly protests.

"He'll be fine," Hank says with a laugh. "He'll ache for a few weeks though and I'm afraid the X-Men will have to manage without him."

Scott hated that idea. He'll need to arrange for someone to take temporary charge. There are a few people capable of it. He'll discuss it with the Professor. "When can I get out of here?" he wants to know.

"Not for a few days at least. Your ribs are broken Scott. Luckily they didn't damage your lungs."

"In other words lie there and relax," Jean orders him.

"You're enjoying this," Scott observes.

"I have no idea what you mean," Jean feigns innocence.

"Bossing me about," Scott elaborates.

"I'm insulted Scott," Jean feigns hurt. Secretly of course she is so enjoying bossing him about and can probably do so for at least a few weeks.

Scott leans his head back and looks to the heavens. This is going to be torture. Not Jean. Sitting around doing nothing.

Just then Kitty knocks on the door and enters. She is still in a mild panic about meeting Peter's aunt but this morning she is more interested in her new little friend. "Hello. So can he leave this morning?" she queries.

Hank looks to Stephen and defers to his more knowledgeable about dragons colleague.

"Yes. He's fine," Stephen informs her as he gestures for her to come over to the bed where the dragon sleeps.

Kitty sits down on the bed and pats his head. The dragon wakes up with a yawn and Kitty thinks he looks so absolutely adorable. "What about the bandages? What was done to him?"

"There's nothing missing as far as I can tell. My guess would be it was for an internal examination," Stephen has made his best educated guess.

"So he can leave?" Kitty asks hopefully.

"Yes. I wrote down a list..." Stephen trails off as he looks for the piece of paper.

Hank pops up with it and hands it over.

Stephen briefly reads it over before handing it over to Kitty. "Everything I could remember about dwarf dragons," he explains what it is.

"Like thanks!" Kitty says cheerfully.

Hank hands her over what looks like a baby bottle. "A nutritional supplement for him. He's a little underweight."

Kitty gives her thanks for that too.

Jean raises her hand and asks a question. "We keep saying he. Is he male?"

"Yes, he is," Stephen confirms.

"And he's such a handsome little guy aren't you," Kitty coos as she strokes him under his chin and in response he makes a low rumbling noise. "Aw, look, he purrs," Kitty gushes over with how cute that is. "Come on then boy," she says to the little dragon. "Lets go up to the kitchen and have breakfast and I can show you off to everyone," she says with great pride in doing that.

The dragon perks up, his wings begin to stretch out. He flaps them and rises up before landing on Kitty's shoulder and he rubs his head against her cheek.

The other 4 people present are slightly amazed at the strong bond Kitty has formed with him in such a short space of time.

"Soooo Kitty. Thought up a name yet?" Scott wonders.

"Oh yeah! I did," she suddenly remembers. "Spent like all day yesterday totally thinking about it and I decided to like name him after the company my dad works for."

"So his name is..."

"Lockheed. His name is Lockheed."

* * *

Stephen had followed Kitty out of the infirmary but he had a different destination in mind from the kitchen. He was off to see Charles whom he finds in his private study having his own breakfast.

"Morning, Stephen," Charles greets him warmly. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes. I was up early," Stephen replies.

Charles gestures for Stephen to sit as he bites into his toast and chews and swallows. "I want to say thank you for all your help these last couple of days," he expresses his gratitude. "I know you must be anxious to get back to your students."

"I'm not sure anxious is the word I would use," Stephen jests.

Charles chuckles in understanding.

"Anyway I am here to talk about the girl, Ruth. I performed her initial check over yesterday while you were sleeping."

Charles nods. Ruth was one of the many things he had to deal with today. "What did you find?"

"Apart from being slightly malnourished she is in generally good health. There is the issue of her eyes," Stephen tries to broach it sensitively.

"What about them?"

"She doesn't have any...nor does she possess eye sockets. I'm afraid I don't have your or Dr McCoy's expertise in mutations but from what I can tell from scans of her skull she never had any. In all likelihood she was born like that."

That gives Charles care to pause. "She was born a mutant. That's extremely rare," he remarks.

"I know Seers, Charles. I know of the burden the gift of precognition brings. If she was born like that...it's hard to imagine coping with that when you are a baby."

Charles sighs. "That is true. It is also true I haven't had time to talk to her as I should have...and I will have to talk to her. Do you know she gives off zero psychic presence. To my telepathy it is like she isn't there. She's a...gap where a person should be."

"She's a mystery and you could never resist a good mystery," Stephen says knowingly.

* * *

Ruth herself was in the kitchen having breakfast. She had been very polite but apart from that she was distant from everyone, saying very little. She knows she will have to explain herself. She let the whole scenario of Magneto and Superman swapping bodies play out because she knew that was the only way she would be found and freed. It was a selfish manipulation. She feels bad about it.

Tabby, meanwhile is watching Kitty sit at the table and feed Lockheed, as Kitty had announced his name to be, with the bottle of special nutrients. "I can't believe you have a pet dragon," she says.

"That's what I've been saying," Ray points out what he has been saying since yesterday.

"How's Peter handling it? Is he jealous?" Tabby wonders, always eager for some gossip.

"No. Then again he couldn't stick around so he and Lockheed never, like, had much bonding time," Kitty answers.

"So what exactly does he eat?" Jonathan asks, helping out with the breakfasts this morning.

Kitty makes a little face. "According to this list Dr Strange gave me mostly a meat diet."

There is a burst of laughter from behind Kitty as Clark wanders in.

"When did you get back?" Wanda asks him. She has stuck around since Dr Strange had. The breakfast chaos she is currently enduring had not been something she had missed while living at the Sanctum.

"Last night," Clark answers her question.

"What was funny?" Kitty asks him.

"The irony," Clark replies cryptically.

"The what?"

"That you, a devout vegetarian, has a carnivorous pet."

Kitty couldn't respond and could only make another face at that. Her face makes Tabby throw her head back and almost laugh it off. She hadn't seen it till Clark mentioned it but that was hilarious as hell. Several others agree as they join in the laughter.

Kitty only ends up pouting.

* * *

A short time later that morning Rogue is in bed having the breakfast Clark had brought her. He had done it before but halfway through she figured out why he had done it this morning. It was so they could be alone to talk.

They needed to talk but God it was like one thing after another and they just couldn't find the time to do so. Rogue was sure that they loved each other but they had been ignoring the cracks simply because they were busy. Now they had a chance finally to have it out.

After the last few days they had all been allowed a couple days off from school, X-Men duties and training just to get some much needed rest...except Clark who felt he had to stay in Smallville for the immediate aftermath and help. That Rogue doesn't need explained to her. A whole bunch else she does starting with him deciding to help make weapons to hurt himself, keeping it secret from her, all his choices with the Hellfire Club and she's certain there's other stuff but that's just off the top of her head.

Thing is Rogue knows they need to have it out but she is also afraid of the answers. If she can't understand Clark's reasons then where does that leave them?

"You know I always thought you hated awkward silences," Clark breaks the muted period they had seemed to be in as he sits in the corner by the window.

"Ah do," Rogue confirms he knows that much about her.

"I think you know why I'm here."

"Yeah."

"We've been putting this off for too long, Rogue."

"Ah know."

"So ask me."

Rogue puts her breakfast tray aside n her bedside table. "Why, Clark? Weapons ta hurt ya? Why?"

"I don't need to explain that. You know why. I am far too powerful and dangerous to be left without some means of restraint. You want to know why I didn't tell you and the reasons are the same ones I gave my parents because you would never have approved and I would have had to do it anyway over your objections. It was a choice of two evils. I chose what I thought was the lesser one."

"Ya can't expect meh ta accept that."

"No. I don't but it had to be done."

"Lying ta meh is not tha lesser of two evils Clark. Ya know how much ah hate people lying ta meh," she says with a low anger breaking into her tone.

"If you want to be technical I never lied. I withheld information."

"Ah hate secrets being kept too!"

Clark gives her a look. "Seriously? You want to go there Miss 'Ah don't talk about mah past'. That's called keeping secrets, Anna," he uses her real name to show he is being deadly serious.

Rogue fidgets a little. That's cutting pretty close to the quick for her. "We'll...uh, come back ta that. Lets talk about tha Hellfire Club."

"Oh changing subjects when the issue of your past comes up. So original!" Clark mocks her sarcastically because seriously he's known her over a year and still he isn't trusted enough to get to know her whole story. Any time he tries to raises it; subject change. Before now he has let her but he isn't who he was.

"Now you're just deliberately being an ass!" Rogue says snidely.

"Yes. I am," Clark admits with a tiny smidgen of pride. "I love you Anna but I've been letting stuff slide too long and if you're being honest so have you. That's why we're here. Now I'll give you the answers you want. Whether you will like them or not?...well mind reading is one thing I cannot do."

_'Have they been letting things slide?' _Rogue asks herself. That doesn't sound like her. She usually never lets anything slide or lie and just bluntly confronts it. In that case they should have this talk even if she may not like the answers.

* * *

Elsewhere in the mansion Kurt is talking animatedly on the phone to his girlfriend, Amanda, about recent events. He always tells her everything he can, feeling it important they keep nothing from each other. He is just walking from the kitchen towards his room as he does so.

"You know," Amanda says. "Sometimes I really can't believe half the stuff that happens to you guys."

"Neither can I...and I live through it," Kurt jokes.

Amanda giggles and Kurt can precisely picture the look of her face. It's a beautiful image but then again she's a beautiful girl and he loves her.

"I'll miss you at school today," she says with deep heart-felt feeling.

"Ja. I'll miss you too," Kurt returns the exact same sentiment. "I promise though. I'll take you out and make it up to you."

"You better buster. There's lots of other people who would like to take an attractive girl like me out."

Kurt knows she is joking and plays along. "Vell I'll just have to fight zhem for your hand. Did I ever tell you zhat I'm a master fencer?"

"No, actually."

"And you're more zhan merely attractive. Your beauty is zhe kind zhat any man vould fight for."

Unseen to Kurt Amanda's cheeks blush at how sincere he is sounding. "Well you're the sort of handsome man any girl would fight for too."

"Of course. Girls dig zhe fuzzy dude."

"One girl in particular," Amanda murmurs.

"And zhat is zhe only girl I vant," Kurt whispers softly to her.

"Love you."

"Love you too. I'll see you soon," Kurt promises her as he ends the call. He then tries and gets his bearings. He was so engrossed in that call he has managed to wander way past his own room. He stops and turns...only to spot Wanda in her old room on her own, staring out the window in deep contemplation. Part of Kurt thinks maybe he should leave her alone but her expression is one that shows something heavy is wearing on her. The Parable of the Good Samaritan always enters Kurt's mind at times like this. He moves and knocks on the door. "Vanda. You alright?"

Wanda's head snaps round at him and glares a little.

Kurt raises his hands in surrender. "I come in peace," he says with a tiny joky grin.

Wanda rolls her eyes but lets it go.

"So is zhis about zhat girl you called your sister?" Kurt asks.

Wanda growls. "Tabby needs to learn to shut her big mouth," she grumbles at the only person she can think of who would have blabbed.

"You know I know vhat you're going through. Remember Mystique adopted Haze."

Wanda had forgotten that. She sighs and her glare softens.

Kurt sits himself down on the nearest bed. "So vhat is bothering you particularly?"

"Kurt, I appreciate what you're trying to do but I really don't want to talk about it."

Kurt takes a moment to think at how to approach this. "You know Haze dropped it on me just before a fight vith zhe Brotherhood. I suppose it vas a vay to try and get me off focus...and it vorked," he says with a small grimace as he remembers her beating him. "I vas very shocked. I didn't know vhat to zhink. How could my mozher find time for her vhen for all my life she couldn't find 5 minutes for me."

Wanda looks at him and can see how sad he looks.

"Still don't have zhat answer."

Wanda goes back to looking out the window for awhile. "I already have a backstabbing no-good twin brother. I don't need a mini-Magneto for a sister."

"Vell in many vays Alicia takes after my mozher so I guess I have a mini-Mystique for a sister."

"I still don't think it is the same Kurt. Mystique adopted Haze. Lorna said we were half-sisters. Do you know what that means?"

"Vhy don't you enlighten me?" he asks her to try and have her get it off her chest.

"Well lets just go with it's true and not one of my father's deceptions, she was...I don't know...2 or 3 years younger than me. That means my mother was still alive when Lorna was born. That means he cheated on her! I mean good god is this how he makes up for being a deadbeat dad with delusions of grandeur? Does he think if he just pumps enough of us out he can get one child he doesn't screw up!"

"I can see vhy you're angry," Kurt says getting it completely. "I often pray to God for zhe strength to get over my anger and forgive my mozher."

"Kurt...I don't mean to mock your faith but I'm never forgiving Magneto. Not ever."

"Give it time. Zhe Lord's patience is infinite."

"Kurt...I'm Jewish," Wanda points out while trying not to offend him.

"Still applicable."

Wanda looks sceptically at him.

"Tell me about Lorna. Vhat happened?" Kurt asks since it is not healthy for her to keep it all locked up and he wants to help her if he can and since he has gone through something a little similar he believes he can at least understand the emotions she must be experiencing.

Kurt is one of the few people capable of getting through her defences so Wanda finds herself retelling the confrontation she had with her sister at Magneto's base.

Kurt strokes his chin. "I vonder..."

"Wonder what?"

"From vhat you say she said it doesn't sound like she knows vhat Magneto did to you."

"My father couldn't tell a truth if it bit him on the ass," Wanda snorts.

"Yes but vhat I mean is you vant to judge Lorna zhe same as your father but zhat may not be fair. If she doesn't know vhat he is really like zhen..."

"Oh come on how can she not know?" Wanda asks since to her it is fairly obvious that everyone should know.

"Vanda, you don't know who Lorna is or how she ended up at Magneto's side. You certainly can't hold her responsible for being born. I'm not saying you accept her. I'm saying you shouldn't rush to judgement before you know all zhe facts. At zhe very least vait until you tell her your story and see how she reacts."

Wanda's face becomes deeply contemplative. "I should have probably said something then but...I lost my temper," she says a little regretful.

"Zhat happens to zhe best of us," Kurt assures her. "I'm also sure you'll get another chance. In fact around here zhat's a given considering how many times we seem to fight Magneto," he tries and boosts her confidence in herself.

"She may not be my sister. Magneto could have just found a girl with magnetic powers and sold her a story," Wanda proposes.

"Perhaps...but vhich one vould you prefer?"

Wanda finds that isn't as easy to answer as she expected it to be. "I don't know," she finds herself saying.

"Vell something to think about but for me as much hurt as zhe revelation of Alicia brought I also look to zhe hope and possibility of one day being a proper family. I alvays vanted a little sister personally."

Wanda doesn't want anything to do with her family...except what if Lorna is her sister and Magneto is manipulating her, a high probability in Wanda's opinion, then Wanda can't leave Lorna there so Magneto can mess her up the way he messed Wanda up. It leaves at least the possibility of having one member of her family she could like...and as Kurt said the idea of a little sister isn't so bad. "I need to think on it Kurt...but thank you for talking to me."

"Zhat's vhat friends are for," is Kurt's simple but truthful reply.

* * *

**Later that morning...**

"You want to see me Professor, yes, no."

Charles arches an eyebrow at the blindfolded head popping itself round his door. "I was about to summon you, yes."

"Oh. Sorry. I did it again," Ruth apologises at doing something before it has actually happened.

"You have no need to apologise," Charles assures her. "Please. Come in and sit, Ruth."

Ruth does so and walks as if she can see as well as anyone. Her gift must be superlative.

"Do I need to ask why you are here?" Charles wonders.

"I don't always look, thank you. Sometimes it's too...horrible," she says in pained, horror-filled tones.

Charles frowns. She will require so much work. He focusses on the important areas. "I'll ask the very straight forward questions, if I may Ruth. Who are you? Where do you come from? How did you end up with Magneto?"

Ruth's strange manner of speaking seems to vanish as she tells her story. Her voice is so detached it is as if she is speaking of someone else. She even goes as far as speaking in the 3rd person. "Ruth Aldine. Her mother always loved her despite how she was born. Her brother thought her a freak. Years went by, his hatred grew. After mutants were revealed he joined the Friends of Humanity and decided to be rid of his mutie freak of a sister. He missed. Mother fell. She saw...I saw and could not stop it. Why?" she asks, her voice full of desperate pain.

Charles rolls round his desk and takes her in his arms. She, physically, is unable to cry but he can tell in her voice she is crying. The poor girl. He cannot imagine what she must have gone through. Her own brother killing their mother.

Ruth sniffles and continues to speak. "I was at my aunt's. Saw him come I did, please. Saw the only possibility where she would live was to leave, thank you."

Charles thinks he can interpret her words. She foresaw Magneto coming and to keep her aunt alive she agreed to go with him. "We need to contact your aunt. Can we do that?"

"Danger to her has passed. Magneto's soul touched by light it has been, though temporary the effect is. Ancient darkness will come and claim him and 3 others to serve as steeds of destruction. You're welcome."

Charles wonders what that means. Seers. They were often confusing but this is not the right moment to try and analyse her visions. Reunite her with her family first. That's the more important task.

* * *

Claire had needed a lot of personal space this last couple of days. Marie had done her best to cheer her up and it partially worked because Claire just likes to be in Marie's company. Honestly to this day Claire has no idea what Marie was doing at the Academy of Tomorrow. Marie was probably sweeter a person than Kitty. To a person all those others in Boston at Frost's were raging douchebags Claire would barely feel guilty about castrating in some fashion.

Right now she is just standing outside the front door as it is some place where she can be alone with her thoughts. Claire reckons everyone at some point needs to be alone to think. Yes it's a mite chilly...or it would be to most people but Claire has never felt the cold. Only the burning heat inside her that drives her temper.

The door behind her flies open and Claire turns her head to find Clark with an intense expression on his face. "You look like someone who just had a fight with their girlfriend."

Clark's brow quirks downward and his expression grows even more intense.

"Good guess, huh?" she says with an oddly smug grin.

Clark takes a moment to remember this is his sister. "A fight might be exaggerating it a bit. More like an honest conversation that was long overdue," he describes it as.

"Still not agreeing with your choices, huh?"

"She said she needs space and time to try and understand."

"Ooh," Claire makes a wincing sound. "Sorry."

Clark lets out a long breath. "The thing is I know everyone around here thinks I've lost the plot."

"For the record I don't."

"Thanks," Clark says gratefully.

Claire isn't sure whether he really believes her or not. "I don't. I can completely get what you planned at the Hellfire Club."

"You do?"

"Sure. You came up with a way to embarrass and divide them and from what the Prof was saying that Sage lady told him it worked. Their big boss or something is coming over to sort out the mess and while they're busy with that you found those 3 stones without further interference from them. Ok so there might be a few hurt feelings about the way you did it but sometimes results count more than process."

Claire does get it. That's more or less right yet everyone else seems to think that somehow it was out of character for him. He makes that point to Claire. "Not everyone would agree with that."

"The road to hell and all that shit," Claire rattles off.

"Yeah...and I'm not sure they're wrong, Claire, about me," Clark confesses his internal conflict. "I haven't been the same since the summer. I've been trying to carry on as if it hadn't happened."

"Why? What happened over the summer?"

"No-one told you?" Clark says with some surprise. Didn't he or anyone mention that?

Claire shakes her head.

Clark retells the story. The fake cousin, Jor-El abducting him and the 3 months he spent imprisoned while his brain was rewired.

"Jesus, what a dickhead," Claire says about Jor-El.

"I don't disagree with you...yet he is all I have left. It's sad and pathetic, I know, before you say it."

"Well as long as you're saying it," Claire quips. "It's important we admit our flaws."

"Well when you have as many as you do I guess it's easy to give out that sort of advice."

"That's...not a bad comeback. I remember you being more vanilla."

"Told you. I've changed."

"Maybe for the better," Claire thinks. He could do with being more assertive. "So what about you and Rogue?"

"Space for her to think probably isn't a bad thing. Space for me probably isn't a bad idea either so I can pull my life back into some order. Since the summer it has just been one thing after another. I feel like I'm being pulled in a hundred different directions. Rao, even Jor-El told me to take a rest so I must be messed up."

"Rao, what?"

"What?"

"You said Rao?"

"Oh. I did?"

"Yeah."

"He's...um, the Kryptonian God...and I didn't know I was doing that."

Claire looks at him closely. He does look tired now he mentions it. She knows the feeling, in fact, of just being drained and being stretched thin. Try living on the streets for a few years and that is how you feel every day.

"What about you? How are you?" Clark asks after his sister's welfare. He knows she is going through her own crap.

"You got a couple of years," Claire jokes in gallows humour.

"We're family. I have an entire lifetime."

"We're one mega-ly screwed up family. You do realise that? You're an alien and I'm some sort of test tube baby."

"True...but I think screwed up is the dictionary definition of family which makes us perfectly normal."

"I think that's so crazy it's probably true."

"What's crazy in a world where there is an entire nation that believes I'm a God and Kitty has herself a pet dragon?"

"God our lives are totally batshit crazy," Claire laughs at the sheer absurdity of it all. "And by the way, Lockheed? What kind of shit dumb name is that?"

"I believe it is the name of the company her father works for so try and not insult it."

"Aw, really?" Claire pouts at being denied the chance to upset Kitty.

"Be nice," Clark tells her.

"Spoilsport."

"I'm your big brother. That's my job."

"I'm disowning you."

"If that's what you want but that means I can't use my superhearing to tell you what Bobby's planning for his next prank on you."

"You're rehired! Now what's the annoying little ice-prick up to?"

"That'll have to wait. We're being summoned to a family meeting," he reports the fact he can hear his mom shouting on him and to bring Claire with him.

"We have those?" Claire asks with surprise.

"Yep. Mom and dad probably want us to share."

"I would rather crawl naked over broken glass."

"That's a disturbing image...but this is more than likely for me. I guess today's the day I spend justifying myself to everyone."

"Screw them!"

"They're our parents. We don't get that luxury."

Claire groans. "Look I love having you guys, I do but I haven't done family stuff since before I can remember."

Clark puts an arm across her shoulder. "It may seem like a pain but always remember it is because they care. That's always the best reason."

"If you say so."

"I do," Clark says and with that he leads her back inside.

* * *

Shortly before lunch that day the Professor enters the infirmary. Scott and Jean wished to discuss something with him. He had managed this morning to contact Ruth's aunt who, understandably was thrilled at hearing her niece is alright. She actually lived not too far away in New Jersey.

They had arranged for her to come to the Institute, which was her idea, to discuss Ruth's future. Charles got the feeling there was something behind Ruth's aunt's request but he wouldn't find out what until Saturday. She couldn't get here until then, due to work commitments she couldn't shun, which is fine. He has no problem with Ruth staying until then.

The Professor pulls up next to Scott's bed. "And how are you doing young man?" he asks Scott.

Scott smiles at that phrasing. That was the first thing the Professor said to him after finding him at the orphanage. "I've been better, Professor."

"I'm certain. So what was it you wished to discuss with me?"

Scott and Jean share a look and they interlock their fingers together before as they hold hands before they tell the Professor exactly what happened to them in Smallville.

For the most part the Professor's expression is poised and contemplative as he listens in silence for the most part, only speaking to clarify the odd point. After Scott and Jean have finished he can see and sense the anxiousness and worry off both of them. Charles speaks his response. "What I believe you saw, Scott, surrounding Jean was a psychic cocoon, designed to protect her."

"But...but I'm not that powerful," Jean protests slightly. It doesn't take much imagination or basic understand of the forces involved to figure out how much energy she would have had to repulse to survive.

Charles locks his hands together on his lap. "Jean. There has always been greater depth to your power than you have been able to access. We both know this." He didn't keep it a secret from her.

Jean does know. Most of the work she does with the Professor is about preparing her control for whatever next level her powers jump to.

"So what happened in Smallville?" Scott asks, still awaiting for it to be clarified.

"My best guess is that Jean reacted on instinct, hence why she has no conscience memory of the event. Her instincts accessed the true breadth of her powers and threw up the cocoon to protect herself."

"You make it sound so simple," Jean half-complains because she isn't sure such a simple explanation really answers everything.

"Jean," the Professor says in his warmest, most reassuring tones. "Sometimes it is. You don't normally access your full powers because you aren't ready for them. I believe it is simply an inbuilt safety check. Now it does occasionally fail."

"Like when I had my power surge a couple of years back," Jean gives the example of when it failed.

"And once we put you back in control the safety measures re-established themselves. I know it is a terribly dry way of describing what is very personal to you," Charles concedes and says so to illustrate that he isn't trying to detach Jean's real worries and fears on purpose. "Jean what I can say is that I am very grateful you have this greater depth to your power that saved your life."

"You and me both, Professor," Scott says with deep emotion in response to how close he came to losing her.

Jean wasn't complaining about being alive. She takes a moment to think and something occurs to her. "Professor...do you think that is what happened with Amara on the way back from Nova Roma? That she instinctively tapped into the greater depths of her powers?"

"Could very well be," the Professor agrees with Jean's hypothesis. "I must admit not having had a chance to talk to her yet," he berates himself a little.

"You have been very busy, Professor," Jean sympathises.

He has and he still has much else to deal with today including Amara.

* * *

_Author's Note: This chapter and the next one is all about trying to catch up on the loose ends I've left because the fact one thing followed on from another followed on from another and they never stopped to deal with it all. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; The other half of the day._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Shortly after lunch Roberto is on his way to the rec room when he bumps into a very distracted looking Amara. "What's up Mara?" he wonders.

"Oh just contemplating what's going on with my powers."

"Right," Roberto says suddenly remembering hearing about her power surge.

"I just finished talking with the Professor," she tells him for no other reason than that he's there.

"Ah. Let me guess, didn't help much," he gets from her expression.

"No," Amara says glumly.

"Yeah. Look the Professor's a nice guy and all but he's one of these people who think sitting down, talking and sharing your feelings solves things and while that does work most of the time sometimes you just need to go forget about your problems and let the solution come to you later."

"So I should...?" Amara wonders...and boy she must be desperate if she is asking Roberto for advice.

Roberto shrugs. "Not sure. How about...hey I know," he has a sudden inspiration. "How about you let me take you out tonight and I'll help you forget your troubles."

"You're asking me out?" Amara says with some surprise. Roberto has never actually shown her that sort of interest...which is weird since he flirts with anything female.

"If you want to put it that way, sure," Roberto lets her phrase it. "One guarantee I can give is that cause you're with me you'll have a great time," he boasts with his typical arrogance.

"You know what Roberto, I accept," Amara decides. She could use a night to forget her problems. "And word to the wise the great night you'll be having is because you're going out with me," she boasts with a flirtatious edge.

Roberto grins. "We'll see about that," he challenges her.

"Yes we shall," Amara accepts his challenge. "You can pick me up at 7. One minute late and consider yourself stood-up."

"I've never been stood-up, once," Roberto insists.

"Well don't let it start now."

"I won't."

"Good for you. See you at 7!" she pronounces as she leaves, waving her goodbyes at him. Yeah she knows what Roberto is like yet a night out is a night out and a change could be good...yet it's Roberto. "I must be out of my mind," she mutters to herself but still what the hey. As Tabby says it is better to do something impulsive and regret it later than regret on missing out on something.

* * *

The Professor had deliberately allowed lunch to pass for everyone to rest before they had their mission debrief...and some debrief it was turning out to be for this simple reason. In reality the mission started with the trip to Nova Roma, included Clark and Magneto swapping bodies and ended after the meteor shower hit Smallville. That's a lot to cover.

"I cannot believe there's a whole nation that thinks you're a God," Bobby comments to Clark, sounding, if anything, a little jealous.

"I would rather they didn't, believe me, Bobby," Clark replies, hating being thought of like that. In fact there is a lot of his time on Nova Roma he would rather forget. Especially the memory of Jor-El and Selene...Clark involuntarily shudders in response to that. He had already talked about this with his parents at the family meeting earlier hence why they didn't need to be here for this.

"Why?" Ray asks. He could imagine the perks godhood must bring.

"Because I'm not one and it's wrong to deceive them. I only went along with it because I couldn't explain what I was to them in terms they could understand."

The mission debrief moves onto the ambush by Magneto and Isobel and Clark getting body swapped. That's another bunch of memories he could do without.

There is then the battle at Magneto's base and that brings up the issue Wanda, who had chosen to stay a bit longer after Dr Strange left earlier, has with her so-called sister.

"So is that girl your sister or what?" Tabby wants to know.

"So she claimed. Truth is I don't know for certain," Wanda replies and looks to the Professor to see if he know anything.

"I can't give you a definite answer I'm afraid, Wanda," the Professor says apologetically. The idea that Erik had another daughter with another woman is as much of a surprise to him. "Your father and I had long since fallen out by the time you and your brother were born. The only thing I can confirm is the archive record of Cerebro's scan that she possesses magnetic powers. To confirm her parentage we would need a DNA sample."

Wanda had pondered Kurt's words to her from earlier. "I'm sure they'll be another day to get answers Professor," she says as diplomatically as possible.

"Yeah. There's always another day," Tabby says sounding eager for it.

"You enjoy the fights way too much," Sam complains about one thing about his girlfriend he finds perplexing and worrying.

"Of course. All the action is my second favourite thing around here after you of course," she smiles flirtatiously and wraps her arms around his nice firm bicep. All that farm work sure made certain her Sammy was in fine shape.

"Ya have ta admit Sam it is fun," Paige agrees with Tabby.

"Of course ya would agree," Sam mutters. He just knew having Paige come here was a mistake.

At this point Rogue does mention Magneto's enhancer she came across when Live Wire ambushed her. It isn't that much of a surprise to anyone he has one. It does explain, finally, why Live Wire shows up as an enhanced mutant. Although there is much they don't understand about the long term effects of kryptonite on DNA so who knows how it will all play out.

What Rogue doesn't mention is the fact she ended up in the machine. Since she hasn't had another episode since Smallville she thinks she's alright. No point in uselessly worrying people. In truth she has more important things on her mind dealing with everything Clark told her. She still doesn't understand what the hell he was thinking but she is taking her time to try and see it from his point of view. Like she told him she needs a little space, him out of her hair to try and see if she can wrap her mind around his thinking.

The meeting moves on to the final part of the story and Smallville. The Professor knows about Jean and Scott's adventures. They weren't here. Scott remained down in the infirmary and Jean was keeping him company.

This is Clark's opportunity to explain what happened in detail to him and of the battle with the 2 Kryptonians which he does and he summarises what he learned from talking to Jor-El afterwards.

"So they're really gone, for good?" Logan wants to know for certain.

"Yes, Logan. They are where they belong if Jor-El was telling the truth about who they were," Clark tells him.

"And the ship?" Storm asks. "This Brain Interactive Construct?" she queries.

"I don't know where it went. For all I know it jumped to the other side of the solar system but it'll be back to try and force me to free Zod. We'll have to be cautious. Not that I'm sure how we'll do that since, according to Jor-El, it can take on a humanoid form. Like a shape-shifter I suppose we could treat it as."

"We shall be wary," the Professor says although that will be hard since they don't know what it is they are being wary against. The shape-shifter analogy isn't a bad one. They have the same issues with Mystique bar Clark's ability to detect her heartbeat rhythm.

"So what's this Fortress of Solitude like?" Kitty asks, her inner sci-fi nerd totally squeeing over the idea of an alien structure. Lockheed is perched on her shoulder. He seems to like it there.

"It's what the crystal was designed to do and since the crystal held all of Krypton's knowledge I assume the Fortress is basically the means through which I access it. As for what it is like...that's hard to put into words. What I can say is that Jor-El assured me no-one should be able to detect it and I doubt he'll let anyone but me use the technology within so therefore we can call it a win as far as keeping the stones and their power out of the hands of the people we were trying to keep it out of."

"I can live with that," Domino says.

"I think we all can," Evan says in agreement. Basically they had done what they set out to do.

"Yes. I believe we can," the Professor goes along with it. "When Colonel Fury comes asking about it, though, I think it best just to keep it vague that the stones are now beyond anyone's reach."

Logan snorts. He had almost forgotten they did a deal with Fury. He wonders when Patch will show up to claim his side of the bargain.

"Now I deliberately allowed us a day or 2 to rest but there is much work left to do in Smallville and I would like to send small teams back in shifts to assist with its recovery and rebuilding," the Professor makes the proposal.

"Yes. That does seem like a good idea," Storm agrees.

They then start deciding on a schedule to send people.

* * *

Later, while waiting for dinner, Claire was just snuggling up with her girlfriend on a couch in the sitting room.

"So how are you enjoying life at the Xavier Institute?" Claire asks.

Marie ponders her response momentarily. "It's different from Frost's academy."

"Good different? Bad different?"

"I miss Jen," Marie confesses, sounding a little sad. They haven't talked since she left Frost's and she doubted Jen or any of them would ever talk to her again.

"Yeah. No offence but I never got your friendship."

"She's not that bad."

"She sleeps with any boy with a pulse," Claire gives her critical opinion.

"Ok so she was, um..."

"I think the word you're looking for is easy...and she could be as cruel in her own way as the rest of them."

Marie sighs. "I know...but she could be nice. She was to me."

Claire still didn't really get what Marie was doing at Frost's place. Most of the people there were not good people unlike Marie who is good and sweet and took the effort to get to know her and to be there for her. That is one of the main reasons Claire has taking a liking to her...you know along with finding Marie's accent irresistibly sexy. She pulls Marie closer to her, sensing that the French girl is a little melancholy about what she left behind in Boston. "So you never answered me. Good different? Bad different?"

"Good different," Marie gives the truthful answer. She feels more at ease here than at Frost's. "At least there's no Empath here," she adds as a positive.

Oh yeah. Thank God for that. What a nasty piece of work he is.

"And I like Kitty," Marie says cheerfully. Kitty was great fun to go out shopping with and they did get on great.

"You would," Claire laments.

Marie grins at Claire's grumpy expression. "And I like your brother."

"I suppose someone had to despite his shitty humour," Claire mutters, not being particularly serious.

Marie giggles as she always does when Claire swears.

"Are you ok with the alien thing?"

"It's kinda cool," Marie gives her opinion now she has had time to think on it.

"I know I hesitated in telling you but now that you do know I trust you with it," Claire says softly.

"I got why you hesitated. I was a Hellion."

"You never fitted in there. I saw that from day one I arrived. You went along with it. That was all."

"What about you? You chose to join."

"I was in a bad place. Still am...apart from you. I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"You were you," Marie says and kisses Claire gently.

"I'm a mess, Marie," Claire whispers and you can see the layers of emotional pain in her orange eyes.

"I'm good at cleaning up messes," Marie replies, telling Claire she isn't going anywhere.

Claire kisses Marie on the lips. "Hmm, please tell me one thing."

"What?"

"That Drake is not something that's a good different," Claire wishes to know.

Marie stops and looks puzzled. "Um...what it is between you two?" she wonders because she can't figure it out what it is that drives Bobby and Claire to constantly try and one up each other.

"Oh don't get me started," Claire warns Marie off getting her started on that story.

"Well I can't dislike him as much as you do."

"That's ok. No-one can."

"But I can't like anyone who upsets my girlfriend."

"That's a very good answer," Claire murmurs as her lips once again claim Marie's.

* * *

After dinner Clark drops in and visits Scott feeling the need to apologise for his friend getting hurt by a meteor he is responsible for bringing down with his failure.

"Clark. I don't blame you," Scott says in reply to that.

"I blame me. That's enough. I failed Scott and in the end I may have brought down something worse upon our heads."

"This Brain Interactive Construct machine?" Scott guesses. He had been updated about everything.

"Brainiac for short and yes. It's capable of doing more than I can, Scott and it's here to finish what Nam-Ek and Aethyr could not."

"Clark sometimes you just have to take one battle at a time," Scott advises. "Obviously there are more battles to come in this war...but then again there are more battles to come in the war with Magneto...and I know we haven't seen the last of the Hellfire Club, Emma and the Hellions...and those aren't your battles. Those are ours for the future direction of mutantkind."

"Is it me or is it wrong we have so many enemies?"

"Yeah we do seem to stack them up don't we," Scott has to grimly admit. It was depressing in its way when all the X-Men were trying to do was to promote peaceful human/mutant relations. He leans back into his pillow. "I think we all could do with a break," he remarks.

Clark looks at Scott oddly. "Ok who are you and what have you done with Scott Summers?"

"Huh?"

"Scott Summers suggesting we take a break?!" Clark exclaims in total mock shock.

Scott reluctantly chuckles. "Yeah. Doesn't sound like me does it," he will concede. "But honestly I do find myself thinking more about how I would rather spend time with Jean then cooking up the next Danger Room session."

"Ah, well I think we all need to thank Jean for that," Clark jokes.

"And at the minute I have no choice but to take a break. As for what I was saying, Clark, you didn't fail. In fact we succeeded. The stones are out of the reach of everyone. Sure there have been consequences but we'll deal with those one at a time."

"That's very...pragmatic," Clark describes it as.

"I'm a very pragmatic guy."

Clark runs a hand through his hair. "I do bring a lot of baggage Scott. You can't deny that."

"No. I can't," Scott agrees. "However what I can see is my friend who looks like he is about to snap under the strain."

"Scott, I think I snapped two weeks ago," Clark weakly jokes.

"Then take a break. Rest and I'm certain things will look brighter. Go out. Do something fun."

Clark looks at Scott oddly once more. "Ok I'm back to asking who are you and what have you done with Scott Summers?"

"Clark I may be a workaholic but I know an exhausted, mentally and physically, team is no good to anyone. It's part of being a leader to realise there has to be a balance."

"Yeah. I'm thinking that one came from Jean," Clark guesses.

"It did," Scott confesses. "So will you listen to me?"

Clark sighs. "You know even Jor-El thinks I need a break."

"Well we all have issues with your biological father but for once I think I'll have to agree with him."

"My parents said the same thing...and believe you me my father had a shocked expression on his face when he said it."

"Sounds like a losing argument for you."

"Fine. I'll take a break. You all win," Clark gives in to the nagging.

"Naturally," Scott faux boasts. "Go spend time with Rogue," he suggests.

"Yeah," Clark says uncomfortably. "Won't be doing that. She needs some 'space'."

"Ouch," Scott winces. "Sorry," he sympathises.

"I know. It's a shame. I had this surprise...oh Rao! I completely forgot!" Clark berates himself as he slaps his own forehead.

"Forgot what?"

"I've been so busy this last few weeks it totally slipped my mind."

"What?"

"I've got to go speak to Rogue," Clark says as he stands up and leaves.

Scott lies there, looking at where Clark left, wondering just what the hell that was about.

* * *

Rogue knows it is rather clichéd of her to hide out in her room and brood but give her a break. Clark is her first serious boyfriend and this is probably the most serious problems they have had. She is trying to understand what he told her. She really is but she seems to keep coming to the same conclusion that he chose the ends justify the means approach even if that meant betraying her and the X-Men and risking their lives.

Then he's also been keeping secrets from her. He knows she hates that. He knows how many people have hurt her by secrets and lies and yet he did it anyway.

Ok so she also knows that Clark wouldn't deliberately set out to hurt her.

Still she feels some of the trust between them has been eroded.

Trust takes time to rebuild.

There's not going to be a quick reconciliation this time.

That much is certain.

A soft knock on her door breaks her out of her thinking. She gets off her bed and goes over and answers it. She finds Clark standing there. "Hi," she says blandly, raising her defences.

"Hi," Clark returns. "Look I know you don't really want to see me so I'll make this quick. You still like that punk rock band, Dazzler, right?"

"Sure," Rogue confirms. In fact she has their poster on the wall. That lead singer of theirs, Alison Blaire, is basically Rogue's favourite musician.

"And you know they have a concert here on Saturday."

"Yeah," Rogue says, not sure where this going.

"Would you like to go?"

"Clark, it's sold out," Rogue points out. She tried to get tickets for it and failed.

Clark pulls his hands from behind his back, where they had been the whole time and waves in front of Rogue's eyes a certain ticket for a certain concert. "I was planning to surprise you," he says sheepishly.

Rogue's eyes widen in excitement as he takes the ticket and holds it in her hands. "Wow...um..ah...err...thanks."

"You're welcome."

"How did ya get this?"

"Remember that competition in one of your magazines where the prize was tickets for the concert?"

"Tha one with tha impossible mathematical puzzle?"

"Not so impossible for the alien as it turns out. I knew you wanted to go so I did what I wouldn't usually and used my intellect to solve it."

"Thank ya, Clark. Ah mean that," Rogue says finding it hard not to smother him in kisses.

"It's no problem and you know just in case you'll find going with me weird it was actually a few pairs of tickets so a whole bunch of us will probably go. I just came to you first."

"Look Clark. Ah want us ta try and sort this out so how about we use this concert to start ovah?" Rogue suggests. It was at least a place to start and try and fix things.

"Like doing a first date over?"

"Sure. Why not?" Rogue says with a shrug.

"Ok," Clark says with a smile. "Ok. I'll make sure to dress nice."

"It's punk rock Clark. You're suppose to dress bad," Rogue says with a smirk.

"I'll remember that," he says wondering what to do. He supposes he could tap his inner Kal for advice. "I won't bother you further. I'll see you Saturday," he says with that awarding winning farmboy smile.

"See ya," Rogue returns, anxious but hopeful about the state of their relationship. She closes the door when suddenly a sharp needle of pain rips into her skull and the voices in her head become deafeningly loud in a repeat of what happened in Smallville.

As suddenly as the pain strikes it vanishes. Rogue takes a minute to recover and wonders what the hell is happening to her this time. Dammit! Can't she catch one dang break!

This time she decides she better let Dr McCoy examine her and exits her room to do that very thing.

* * *

Wanda had to admit, at least to herself, it was nice to be back and have dinner at the mansion but soon enough she'll have to return to Dr Strange's and resume her magical training. She had really stayed longer than she needed to but she misses this place. She supposes Dr Strange's place wasn't too bad either...apart from Satana.

And she was getting more of an interest in learning about magic beyond simply the need to control her magical abilities. She was definitely getting into Wicca. She was even considering the possibility of converting to the religion. Despite what she said to Kurt, she was never that much of a devout Jew.

Wanda knew that idea would please Jennifer Kale. Jen was not so subtly encouraging(bugging) her to convert.

Wanda wasn't going to make Jen's day any time soon. She would think it over.

Now dinner is finished she is really just heading to what was her room to pick up a few things she left behind and wants to have at Dr Strange's. She is just heading up the stairs when a voice interrupts her.

"Wanda! You're still here!"

Wanda looks up to see Clark coming down. "Yeah but I'll be going shortly."

"I guess you do," Clark says, a little sad about it. He did consider Wanda like a sister. "Anyway any chance you're free Saturday?"

"I could ask Dr Strange," Wanda supposes. "Why?" she asks for the reason.

"Do you like Dazzler?"

"The band?"

"Yes," Clark confirms that is who he is asking about.

"Yes," Wanda confirms that she does indeed like them.

Clark hands her the ticket he has for her. "For their concert Saturday."

Wanda takes the ticket, checks it over to make sure it's legit and then does something Clark didn't know she was capable of doing. She squeals like an over-excited 6 year old. "EEEEEEE!"

Clark winces in pain.

Wands throws her arms around him and bounces up and down. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she says, obviously overwhelmed with excitement.

"You're welcome."

Wanda stops hugging him but is still bobbling on her toes. "Oh this is going to be great." She makes a small gasping sound. "Oh I need to do my hair and get a new outfit." She bounds up the stairs. "Tabby!" she yells. "Grab your purse! We're going shopping!"

Clark just stands there, completely stunned by what he just witnessed. Wanda...Wanda Maximoff, of all people, turning into a squeeing mad fangirl. "When did I fall into the Twilight Zone?" he asks himself.

* * *

It was the last act of the day before they turn in. The Professor, Ororo, Logan, Hank, Domino, Martha and Jonathan are all gathered in a sitting room discussing all the recent events and how they move forward from here.

"I still don't get it," Logan comments. "How did Red survive?" he asks in regards to Jean's miraculous escape.

"Logan do you know what classification of mutant Jean is?" Charles asks back.

"Nope."

"Jean Grey is, and always has been, an Omega level mutant."

"No offence to your diagnosis there Doc but Jean has never shown limitless power," Domino argues. She has seen in the Danger Room sessions that Jean has limits whereas Omega level mutants aren't suppose to have any.

"Yes. Jean has never been able to consciously access her full power. It's possible she may never manage to do so but the point is that the power is there, inside her and for one moment when her life was in danger she must have accessed it."

"You said you thought the same principle was true with Amara," Ororo mentions what Charles was saying earlier.

"It's an explanation. Still it must mean her power set is not what we classified it as originally."

"So what is the power she possesses?" Jonathan asks.

"Don't know," Charles must confess. "It is possible that she has 2 separate powers."

"That's rare Charles," Hank points out. "And doesn't match up what even now Cerebro scans Amara as."

"What is Cerebro saying?" Martha asks.

"What it has always said. Whatever power she unleashed during that battle has seemingly submerged back inside her."

"So what do we do with her?" Dom wonders.

"Encourage her. Support her. Not overly push her. When the power is ready to re-emerge it will," Martha gives her opinion.

"I agree with Martha," Ororo says.

"As do I," Charles says. From talking to Amara earlier it was plain to see she was deeply unsure of herself. She needs support more than she needs to be pushed. Speaking of people who need support. "How's Claire doing?" he asks Martha and Jonathan.

"She's...delicate," Martha speaks the truth of Claire's emotional state. "The meteor shower brought back tough memories for her. I can't even imagine what she has gone through in her life and she's not ready to share quite yet. She needs to be handled gently at the moment...so no Logan style interventions please."

"What?" Logan asks, pausing as he brings a bottle of beer to his lips.

"Logan sometimes you're more...straight to the point style works but she's far too emotionally fragile right now," Martha tries to phrase it so as not to offend the Canadian mutant.

"We ever going to talk about what happened that day with the MRD?" Domino asks. She wasn't there but she knows what happened.

"You've seen her temper, Domino. She lost it and they died. I don't truly believe she is a killer in her heart," Martha defends her daughter.

"Clark explained it," Jonathan mentions a conversation he and Clark had. "She left because she was afraid of our reaction. Despite her words Clark believes she feels great guilt and remorse. She just doesn't know to express it."

"She's here. That's what matters," Logan gets to it. That was all he wanted. To get her back here where she could be helped like he was.

"You always do have a way to cut straight to it," Hank says with a small smile. Logan did have a gift for that.

"I'm the best there is," Logan rattles off as he raises his bottle as a salute to himself.

Ororo shakes her head and laughs softly at him.

"Logan is correct," Charles agrees with the basic sentiment expressed. "Claire's here and we will continue to support her. Now mentioning Clark..."

"Oh boy," Dom groans. "That's a complex one."

"He's taking a break," Jonathan relays what he was saying earlier to them.

"We insisted and he agreed," Martha says, a little puzzled about how easily he seemed to agree.

"I'm glad to hear that," Charles says. "I do believe at least part of his abnormal behaviour recently is simply due to fatigue."

"It has been one thing after another these last few months," Hank comments. He himself could feel the wear and tear.

"We will all try and ease down in the run up to Christmas, circumstances allowing," Charles expresses his desire. "There are only two exceptions I can think of. One; Ruth's aunt will be here sometime Saturday to discuss her niece's future. In the meantime she shall remain here and we shall care for her. Two; I wish to establish a better relationship with the mutant community in Smallville. This incident has brought to my attention the tensions in that town."

"Uh huh," Logan remark with a knowing look. "And it has nothing to do with the shapely female leader they've got."

"I do not know what you mean."

"Yeah. Sell me another Chuck," Logan says with a grin that show how he is not buying that. He knows what he saw.

Martha and Jonathan both have gleams of amusement in their eyes.

Charles rubs his brow before looking at Martha and Jonathan. "How is Clark doing, really?" he asks, thinking they will know better than anyone.

"He's...difficult to read lately," Jonathan says, frowning. He use to know his son better than this.

"I feel like he has pulled away from us," Martha laments sadly. She's his mother but she just doesn't feel as close to him right now as she is use to.

"Maybe all he does need is a break," Jonathan says, a little naively hopeful that that is all it is.

"Which we all agree we need," Charles says.

Domino raises her hand. "Yeah weren't we suppose to be getting some help from the dishy Irish laddie," she fawns about Banshee with a fake Irish lilt.

"Still working on the visas," Charles gives the current state of that situation. "And we'll also get some new students. If we can get a break hopefully, finally, we can work on that." He's way behind on that front. Could be a very small group because of it. He'll see.

"Oh goodie! More people to torment," Domino says with far too much enthuasism and an evil glint in her eye as she rubs her hands together in eager anticipation.

"Yes. Moving on...swiftly," Charles says. "Since we discussed about aiding Smallville's rebuilding earlier the last area that needs addressed is who covers for Scott as team leader until his injuries have healed," Charles brings up the last issue of this meeting before they turn in. He had talked to Scott and he had given a few suggestions of his own but had basically said that whoever gets the majority of support should do it.

"I can think of a couple who are able," Hank offers.

Logan snorts. "Just put Stormy in charge," he suggests.

Ororo looks at him with an annoyed frown. This is more serious than some lazy flippant comment.

"I second that."

Ororo's head snaps round in surprise at her dear friend Martha who said that.

"I third it!" Domino cheers.

"Dear Ororo was one of my suggestions," Hank says.

"It seems we have a majority verdict," Charles says.

Ororo can see she isn't getting out of it. "Very well. I shall endeavour to do my best," she agrees to do the job. Not that she isn't proud to be leader. It is just a little out of the blue.

"You'll be great," Jonathan offers his support.

"Thank you," Ororo says gratefully and with that the meeting breaks up.

Logan takes a moment to walk with Storm. "Ya know I only suggested it because I know you'll nail it."

"I'll try and take that as a compliment," Ororo replies dryly.

"I'll follow you anywhere."

"That I find a little disturbing."

Logan stops. "Ro, I know I ain't the best at expressing myself but I do like this thing we have...us," he expresses it badly.

"As do I," Ororo says softly.

"Are we alright?" he asks and it is a little awkward for him to do so.

"Yes, Logan. We are. Although offering to take me out would improve it."

Logan gives her a look. "Now I don't know. I don't want people thinking I've gone soft."

"Logan I assure you no-one can ever mistake you for soft...which is good because I prefer my men..._hard."_

Logan is surprised by the suggestive innuendo.

"Goodnight Logan," Ororo says in her pleasant tones and she walks off with a pleased smile on her face and an extra sway to her hips that just makes Logan have to stare.

Back in his office Charles get ready to depart for bed when his eyes fall upon the sticky note stuck to the corner of a picture frame. On it is a phone number he had obtained from Chloe. He looks at it for several seconds before picking up the phone and dialling. "Hello Lilandra. It's Charles..."

* * *

_Author's Note: At some point I will have to have Tarot and Volcana encounter their former Hellion teammates. That's going to be...interesting. __Hmm Rogue suffering headaches and a concert coming up. Gee I wonder what's coming next? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Self-Possessed(my version of the episode)._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Ah!" Jean cries out, as she hits the small rubber ball. She was playing a game of squash against Rogue. Both were dressed in training clothing. They were in similar clothes, sweat pants, tank top. The only differences were in the colours. Jean had gone for white while Rogue was dressed all in green. Rogue also was wearing her gloves.

Jean was substituting for Scott. Usually Scott and Rogue had these weekly squash games but with Scott still laid up he had suggested Jean take his place. Since Jean had been trying to improve her and Rogue's friendship she agreed. Besides after everything they've been through lately the idea of working out her frustrations on a small rubber ball was appealing to Jean.

This wasn't Jean's best game. She was far better at soccer and basketball but she was trying her best to give Rogue a run for her money.

Rogue had come to find she enjoyed playing squash against Scott because it was a challenge. He was almost as good as her at it...and it was one of the few rare times you got to see the real Scott Summers. Not the uptight leader he spends most of the time being.

Rogue guessed in a way it was one of the few times she let herself relax...well before Clark came. After he came she supposed she has allowed her real self out more often through his encouragement.

Rogue had challenged Clark to a game once...big mistake. Even when he's not trying to be super his hand eye coordination is insanely accurate. With Clark she'll stick with pool. That way she gets a good excuse to stare at his ass when he bends over.

Anyway with Scott the match is more even so it's more fun when she wins. Jean may not be as good as Scott but Rogue is finding it a nice time all the same. Jean and her were closer now so an excuse to hang out was welcome.

Rogue watches closely as Jean hits the ball. On dammit. Jean's hit it close to the wall. This is going to be tight. Rogue sprints over, hits the ball and is forced to kick off the wall and flip herself over to land back on the floor. She does this just in time to see Jean dive and miss.

Rogue grins. "That's game ta meh!" she pronounces proudly as she walks over to Jean and helps her friend up.

Jean blows out a breath. "Do you whoop Scott this badly?" she asks because Rogue had basically just thrashed her.

"Nah. Ah whoop him much worse," Rogue says with an even larger grin.

Jean chuckles.

The girls head over to the bench at the back where people put their things down and each grab a bottle of water.

Rogue takes a sip of her water. "Want anothah game?"

"No. Thanks. Besides shouldn't you be saving some energy for the concert tonight," Jean points out as she takes a sip of her own water. It was Saturday and many of them were going to Dazzler concert. Jean wasn't. She would keep Scott company and really punk rock isn't her. Also Paul and Taryn were going to come over too to help alleviate Scott's boredom.

Rogue shrugs. "Ah'm not that tried."

Jean looks at Rogue curiously. "Scott said he saw you in the infirmary the other day," she mentions out of concern.

"Yeah. Ah've been havin' headaches," Rogue describes it as.

"What did Mr McCoy say?"

"He couldn't find anything physically wrong with meh so we're going with it's probably stress related."

"Yeah. There's been a lot of that lately."

"Tell meh about it."

"So...how are you not tired? I'm pooped," Jean says, still curious how Rogue looks so fresh.

Rogue shrugs again. "It's nothin really."

"What isn't?"

"Ya know we all do these physicals right?"

Jean nods.

"Ya evah seen mah results?"

Jean shakes her head.

"They all top out tha scales. Not superhuman. Just somehow mah body is in as good a shape as it is humanly possible ta beh."

Looking at Rogue now Jean could see how toned and healthy the Goth girl looked. Since Rogue is normally covered up so much it is only now you can see it. Jean was almost envious in fact of how good a shape Rogue looked to be in. "How did that happen?" she asks since Jean knows it's impossible to top out all the scales. You can be within a certain range and call it being in perfect health only.

"Well either it's a weird side-effect of mah absorbing powers or it's..." Rogue mumbles the rest and Jean can't quite hear.

"I'm sorry, what?" Jean asks.

Rogue doesn't quite meet Jean's gaze and with a slightly embarrassed expression repeats her words a little louder and clearer. "It's because I'm intimate with Clark."

"Ok I'm going to need that one explained."

"Clark generates a powerful aura. It's what keeps his clothes from getting wrecked."

"Uh huh," Jean says, nodding. She remembers Clark's aura being discussed.

"Well think about how _close_ ah get ta him and how much of that aura ah've been exposed ta. Tha theory is that somehow Clark's aura energy has a positive effect on mah health but don't ask meh ta explain how it works," Rogue says because she couldn't explain it if she tried.

"Who came up with that theory?"

"Tha Professor."

Jean can see Rogue's flustered look. "That must have been...embarrassing."

"Ya think?" Rogue says with an arched eyebrow. God it was up there with 'The Talk' in terms of embarrassment factor having to discuss her sex life with the Professor. "Look it's only a theory. It may just beh mah own powers...and oh mah Gawd, you're finding this funny!" she cries at Jean's expression.

Jean can't hold it in any longer and bursts out laughing. The image of Rogue, most likely squirming in her seat, talking to the Professor about the idea her sex life might be responsible for her being in tiptop shape is just too funny.

Rogue folds her arms across her chest and scowls. "Yeah. Laugh it up. Ah look forward ta tha day ya tell your parents you're sleeping with Scott," she snaps back because she knows Jean still hasn't told her parents that.

That sobers Jean quickly. She was dreading that day. She can just picture her father's reaction.

"Ain't so funny now is it?" Rogue says, almost smug.

"No," Jean says contritely.

Saying all that Rogue must admit that, at the very least, being with Clark keeps her in shape even if the aura thing is only really speculation. He does have near limitless energy and trust her after a night together she can feel it in her muscles in the morning. Hell she can feel it in muscles she didn't know she had. Although they haven't spent a night together in awhile now because of their current frosty relations. She silently sadly sighs. Hopefully the concert tonight is the start of fixing things.

The two girls start to pack up their rackets and towels.

"So Kitty said you and Clark were using the concert to start over?" Jean raises.

Rogue sighs. She knew telling Kitty was a bad idea. "Sort of. It's...there's still issues between us but ah want ta work through them...and ya know our 1st anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks so in a sense ah guess we're trying to recapture tha spirit of that tahme."

Jean nods in at least partial understanding. "Well I hope it works out, Rogue," she means genuinely. She throws her bag over her shoulder. "If you ever need to talk..."

"Thanks."

Jean flashes Rogue a smile and leaves while Rogue goes and retrieves the squash ball. Suddenly the pain in her head flashes up once again and the memories and voices flood in. By the time it stops she is on her knees in pain, breathing hard.

_'Not again,' _she complains. Beast said it was stress and maybe it was. There is a lot of stress in her life apart from her relationship difficulties. Yet, somehow, it just felt like more than that. Hopefully tonight's concert was the break and release she was needing. If not she'll go see Beast again.

Rogue stands up, picks up her bag and leaves. What she doesn't notice as she does so was that when that episode flared up she flung her racket away and that she threw it so hard it had embedded itself into the wall.

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

Mystique's shape-shifting powers have one most obvious advantage. It allows her to disguise herself and infiltrate almost anything and anywhere.

That's why after Magneto pulled the Bayville operation his next task for her was exactly that. An infiltration one.

What he wanted infiltrated was the Friends of Humanity.

After they hurt the mother of his other daughter(Mystique was as surprised about Lorna existing as anyone) Magneto wanted to know his enemy. The leader of the FOH was a mysterious figure who wasn't seen. In fact he was only referred to as 'The Leader'.

Mystique's job was to find out who this person was and how the FOH was organised so as to learn the best, most effective way to destroy them.

It wasn't a fun assignment pretending to fit in with this mutant hating flat-scan trash.

This Saturday morning she really had nothing to do. It was her fake persona's day off work and there was no FOH meeting until tonight so she had drawn the curtains shut and chosen to spend the day relaxing in her natural form.

Mystique wishes she could spend it with her daughter Alicia or even just talk to her but Magneto had sent Alicia down to the Savage Land with the Brotherhood and there was no phone reception.

Mystique lies back in her chair, turns the tv on and enjoys a cup of hot chocolate. Just then the silver cell phone on the coffee table rings.

Mystique sighs. It's probably Magneto wanting an update. She reaches over, picks the phone up and flips it open. She frowns. It's not a number she recognises. "Hello?" she answers.

"Raven."

Mystique smiles at hearing the voice of her old friend Destiny. "Irene," she says warmly. Irene was one of the few people Mystique liked and trusted and they were very old friends.

The response is a voice full of worry. "Raven. Rogue's in danger. I had a vision of her being submerged by a crowd. Something is going to happen to her and we may lose her."

What feels like an icy dagger strikes Mystique's heart. Before Alicia Rogue had been the one Mystique tried the hardest with and ended up losing. Rogue had been 4 when Mystique adopted her and had for a short time lived with her but more pressing work for Magneto meant she had to leave Rogue with Irene. In all likelihood Mystique doubted Rogue remembered much, if any, of it now.

That's why when Rogue's powers manifested she tried with everything she possessed to have Rogue join the Brotherhood. When that had failed she became Risty just to be close to her daughter and now it sounds like she may lose her all together. "When and where?" Mystique gets right to it.

"I'm not certain. Tonight I think. A concert. I saw lots of people and music. You must get to her Raven," Irene says with urgency. She raised Rogue for many years and deeply cared for what in many ways is her daughter.

"I'll get right on it. Thank you, Irene." Mystique ends the call and uses her phone to look up concerts, most likely in the Bayville area. She spots it easily enough. Dazzler. Mystique knows Rogue likes that sort of music. She is going to have to get a move on if she was going to get to Bayville by tonight. It shouldn't be too hard to get close to Rogue as long as Superman isn't around. Mystique still hadn't figured out how that boy could see through her disguises.

She'll work out the finer details on the way. She slips on her human disguise and practically sprints out the door.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The Professor was in his study putting the finishing touches to organising his near 2 decades worth of information on the Hellfire Club and Inner Circle. Charles had gotten a call first thing this morning from Colonel Fury saying he would be dropping by to pick it up.

At least the Director of SHIELD was nice enough to call beforehand...although Charles feels that Fury will want to discuss more than the Inner Circle. He had to know about the ship the 2 Kryptonians came in. In fact Fury was probably the one covering up what happened.

Charles would deal with it if Fury raises it. He had told Clark and Martha and Jonathan to leave it with him.

Smallville was something still on his mind. Storm was there right now along with Domino, Evan, Amara, Roberto and Ray. Like he said. Small teams in shifts. They would be back this afternoon. Several others were getting ready for the concert tonight or getting ready to do whatever it was they were doing tonight. Charles allowed it all because they needed a change of pace. They needed to go out and blow off some steam. In other words they needed to be normal teenagers for a night.

Thinking of Smallville brings a small smile to his lips because it makes him think of Lilandra. They had spoken on the phone a few times and she was an...invigorating woman. From their conversations he had learned she had managed to talk the Mayor into letting the mutants of her community help with the reconstruction.

That was progress...small step but progress. Charles would keep his promise and devote more time to Smallville in the coming months.

Charles senses the Colonel's arrival before the helijet sets down and sends a telepathic message to Logan to welcome the Colonel. Charles knows of Logan's issues with Fury but the fact remains Logan also knows best how to make sure Fury doesn't try anything.

A short time later the door opens and Fury arrives with a couple of SHIELD agents with Logan watching all of them like...well like a Wolverine.

"Colonel Fury. A pleasure as always," Charles greets the man politely.

Logan snorts and mutters a few things under his breath to the contrary of the Professor's words.

Fury looks around at the several boxes of material. "Don't believe in digital storage?" he quips.

"Some of this is 20 years old Colonel. I'm afraid I never got around to transferring it. Besides I always believe it better to have back-ups in physical paper," Charles explains it.

Fury snaps his fingers and points at the boxes and the SHIELD agents start collecting it up to take back to the helijet. "I want to have a word in private," Fury says to the Professor.

"Yes. I thought you would," Charles accepts the inevitably. He turns to Logan. "Logan, if you will please ensure the Colonel's men take what is for them," he requests.

Logan gets the translation. In other words make sure they don't try anything.

"Follow me, Colonel and we'll go to my office," Charles says. The Professor rolls out of his study and towards his office with the Colonel walking alongside. Once they reach the office Fury closes the door and adopts a more serious stance and expression.

Fury starts the conversation. "So since you are giving me the material I asked for I assume the 3 stones are..."

"No longer in a form where you have to concern yourself about anyone else gaining possession of them," Charles phrases it as.

"Except Superman's," Fury assumes.

"He gave me permission to speak on his behalf since he didn't want to engage in a pointless conversation where you ask questions he won't answer."

"Like where the stones are now."

"As I said before, Colonel, you do not have to fret about Superman's motivations. He has no desire to use the stones' power. His only wish was to keep them out of the hands of people who would misuse them and that is what he has done and will continue to do."

"And that's all you're going to say about it," Fury can see.

"It is," Charles confirms for him. "Our deal was simple. We keep the stones out of Magneto's and the Inner Circle's hands and I give you my information on the Inner Circle. That was it."

"That it was," Fury agrees.

As for the material I'm giving you on the Hellfire Club I have one small additional request."

Fury arches an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"That you do not do anything to expose my informant. I assume you know only too well about the danger she could be if she is exposed."

Fury does. He's had the occasional agent exposed when they were deep undercover. Those did not end well. "We'll watch our step."

"That's all I ask."

"Who is she?" Fury asks because to protect her he has to know who she is.

"You know of Shaw's personal assistant?"

"Sage?" Fury queries with some surprise that Xavier had managed to get someone that close.

Charles nods in confirmation.

Fury is close to impressed by what the Professor has done. He can figure it out. Sage's 'defection' all those years ago was a fake. "I can't shut the Inner Circle down even with all this but I can make their lives hell," Fury tells the Professor about the limits he still has.

"That would be appreciated," Charles says a little mean-spiritedly but he isn't going to lose sleep over making Sebastian Shaw's life difficult. Besides if Fury is probing aspects of the Inner Circle it keeps them busy, distracted and away from him and his X-Men. Both the Inner Circle and SHIELD.

Fury shifts the toothpick in his mouth a little before raising another subject. "So I heard you were a help in Smallville. You even got some positive press."

"That isn't why we helped," Charles points out. "And why don't you cut to it Colonel. You want to know about the ship," he makes the assumption about why Fury is mentioning Smallville. He doesn't feel like indulging in games today.

Fury knew from reports the X-Men had been there and fought the occupants of the ship. "What do you know?"

"The ship is gone and it's occupants...well you don't have to worry about them any more. They're somewhere where they won't be coming back from."

"You seem awful certain of that," Fury says with a suspicious eye.

"I am."

"You care to give detail on that."

"Not particularly."

"This isn't helping with what you said about us having better relations."

"And sending Agent Carter to spy on us was helpful?" Charles retorts. He had been meaning to raise that one for awhile.

"It was necessary," Fury insists.

"No. It wasn't," Charles gives the simple but firm response.

Fury leans down and places his hands on the Professor's desk. "Good people died in Smallville."

Charles can see a guilt trip when one is attempting to be laid upon him. "Yes they did," he agrees. "And how is your lying about how they died honouring them in anyway."

Fury stiffens and straightens up.

"Don't try and guilt trip me, Colonel, when you're as much covering up the truth as I am," Charles says with a hard edge to his tone.

Fury is surprised by the fact Xavier has such a tone of voice. He just went up a few notches in Fury's respect. Fury can also tell Xavier won't tell him any more. "People ain't ready. They can barely handle mutants. What do you think will happen if they knew aliens were real?"

"This isn't the first time this has happened is it?" Charles deduces from Fury's words. The way the SHIELD Director is too casually accepting what should be a revelation about aliens existing.

"Stuff falls from the sky occasionally," Fury phrases it.

"And to protect people you make sure no-one really knows what sort of _stuff _it actually was. That about right?"

"More or less."

"Then we are where we are, Colonel," Charles says as his way of saying this is as much as he is willing to say.

"Can you guarantee this won't come back to bite us in the ass?"

"Can you?"

"Touché," Fury reluctantly concedes that one.

After that there really isn't much else to say. The Professor has revealed all he is going to and since Fury is covering it up he isn't in a position to use it as leverage. Stalemate.

The Professor's wish to have a better relationship with SHIELD is just going to have to wait for another day.

Fury turns to leave only to stop and look over his shoulder back at the Professor. "One thing you ought to know."

"Which is?"

"Luthor's escaped."

Charles can't hide his surprise. "H-How?" he asks with a small stutter.

"We're still working on the details of how but thought it courtesy to let ya know so you can up your security in case he tries to finish what he started," Fury says in reference to the fact Lionel blew up the mansion and tried to kill everyone there.

With that Fury does leave and Charles falls back into his chair as he tries to absorb how this changes things. He doesn't doubt that Colonel Fury didn't tell him everything the Colonel knew about how Lionel managed to escape. It is just the nature of the man.

A short time later Logan appears after making sure Fury left and notices Charles' stunned expression. "What?"

"Lionel has escaped from SHIELD custody."

"That's impossible!" Logan shouts.

"Apparently not," Charles says with eerie calmness.

"Did Fury explain how?"

"He said they were still investigating it."

"I don't buy it," Logan says. He knows Fury too well.

"Neither did I completely. However what matters is protecting the students. You'll review security?"

"Consider it done."

"Thank you, Logan."

"Did Fury ask about the ship?"

"He did. We reached a stalemate over the matter since he's covering it up."

"You tellin everyone about Luthor?"

"They have a right to know."

"Space Boy and Firefly are goin to be pissed," Logan points out those two in particular because those two have more to do with Lionel than anyone else. Logan doesn't and he's extremely pissed at the fact Luthor is free.

"I know," Charles accepts.

* * *

Clark is pissed.

No.

He's beyond pissed.

Finding out that Lionel escaped and is free to plot who knows what this time...Rao he would love something to punch right about now.

And he was actually having a nice day up to then. He was really looking forward to the concert tonight. Ok so it wasn't really his type of music but it was a chance for him and Rogue to try and move forward again.

Claire shares his feelings about Lionel. In fact he is pretty certain she's off somewhere melting stuff...or trying to kill Bobby. One of the two.

Clark lets out a breath. He had needed to get away to be by himself and was standing at the cliff edge looking out at the sea. He stares out. It had just turned to December. It was cold but of course he doesn't feel it. It had only been 3 months since he returned from his summer imprisonment with Jor-El.

It seemed longer as he thinks about the insane amount of things that have happened to him. Is it any wonder he feels like he is stretched so thin he could snap at any moment.

He had hoped with the search for the stones over he could pull his life back into order and focus but now he has a whole new search he has to embark on. The search for Lionel Luthor. Clark didn't know where to begin with that one.

He looks down at his hands. He is holding a knife which may seem odd for him. It was Aethyr's. When the others were gathering up the kryptonite bricks after the fight in Smallville they found the knife as well. She must have dropped it. It was surprisingly ornate with swirling patterns and Kryptonian symbols on the blade. The metal it was made of couldn't be identified and Beast had tried. Clark had managed to prick his finger on the end of it, showing that she really could have probably killed him with it.

In the end though it's just another reminder of his long lost home. That's part of why he has it now. Like he is laying his hands on a small piece of home and he thinks about its owner and Nam-Ek. Who were they and how did they end up serving Zod?

As strange as it sounds it has sparked a whole new interest in his home. Jor-El said he would summon Clark when he was ready. Clark is thinking that perhaps he'll take another week of taking it easy and then go see Jor-El about this training. Well he'll see.

Just then he is taken by surprise with small girly hands covering his eyes. "Guess who?!"

Clark frowns. "Chloe?"

"Bingo!"

Clark turns round and indeed there is his short blond best friend. "Chloe!" he cries happily at seeing her as he wraps her in a hug, taking care with the knife in his hand.

"Take it easy big guy. Us mortals have to breathe," Chloe jests at his overenthusiastic hug.

Clark steps back but he has a big goofy grin on his face. He sticks the knife into his own worn old farm work boots for safe-keeping. "What are you doing here?"

"I got a lift back on the x-jet."

"Oh right," Clark says remembering that the first team out to Smallville was due back this afternoon. He hadn't realised that much time had passed. He's been standing out here awhile. "You haven't answered my question, though. I said **what **are you doing here," he presses her.

"Good ear. I'll make a reporter out of you yet," Chloe compliments him for picking that up.

Clark smiles a little thinly. "Haven't had much time to do that lately," he admits.

"Yeah, Bobby mentioned that."

"Bobby?" Clark queries. Since when does she talk to Bobby over him?

"He's what I'm doing here. He invited me to the concert tonight."

"Wait a minute. Is this a date? Are you dating Bobby?" Clark asks, unable to believe he is hearing this.

"I didn't realise I needed to run my dates through you, Clark," she snarks.

"Well, no you don't...but Bobby?! Seriously?!"

Chloe rolls her eyes. "Yes. Seriously. He's a funny guy. I like him."

"But he's Bobby," Clark argues like that is suppose to make sense.

"And?" Chloe says, looking a little miffed at Clark.

Clark can tell he's pushing Chloe towards being mad at him and tries to think of something to say. "And...I'm not sure if he's still alive or not. Claire really doesn't like him."

"Right. Claire. Your sister," Chloe says and that is still so freakin weird to think about. "You'll have to tell me how that's going," she requests with genuine interest.

"Maybe later," he says in rather depressed tones.

"So what's got you out here and brooding?" Chloe asks, because she can just tell when he's brooding.

"You didn't hear?" Clark says in some surprise considering how many sources Chloe has.

"Hear what?"

"Lionel escaped from SHIELD."

Chloe is truly stunned at this. "You're kidding?!" she says, her mouth slightly agape.

"Nope."

"How the hell did he pull that off?!"

"Don't know. Think you could find out?"

"Is that a challenge, Clark?"

"Is it working?" he asks back, hoping to inspire her.

"Yeah. It's working. I know a guy who knows a guy..."

"Who knows a guy who sweeps the hallways of the Hellicarrier or something, blah, blah, etc etc," he says a little mockingly as he has heard this sort of thing before.

Chloe scowls. "Whatever happened to the polite farmboy?"

"He had his head screwed with once too often."

Bobby had said Clark had been acting a little weirdly lately but this is the first time Chloe has seen it up close and personal. She looks into his eyes and could almost see his internal conflict playing out. He didn't look like that shy, retiring farmboy she knew. His eyes even seemed to be missing their almost constant playful sparkle. If she hadn't know him for as long as she had she wouldn't recognise the person she sees.

"So how's Lois?" Clark asks, instantly changing subjects before Chloe can say anything.

Chloe blinks, a little caught out by the suddenness. "She's, um...she's alright. Still in hospital, cursing the doctors' lineages back to the stone age for not letting her leave."

"You know when they say you should stay there's usually a good reason," Clark logically argues.

"Yeah but when does Lois listen to reason?" Chloe asks.

"You know her better than me, Chlo."

"Well she doesn't. Lois is headstrong."

"That I got when she was here for your birthday."

Mentioning her birthday raises an issue that started then. "Any sign of Lana?"

Clark shakes his head in weary sadness. "No. I don't know where Selene took her. I haven't given up Chlo. It's just...going to take longer than I thought."

"I know you'll find her, Clark," Chloe says with complete confidence in him. She then shivers as a cold wind blows. "Any chance we can go inside. You may be solar powered. I'm not."

Clark smiles gently. "Sure."

The two friends head back to the mansion.

"So...Bobby? Really?" Clark asks, still unable to get his head around it.

Chloe rolls her eyes. "Yes. Clark. Really."

"Are you sure you're really Chloe?"

"Ugh. Get over it Clark. I'm going to the concert with Bobby. End of discussion."

Clark shoves his hands in his pockets. "I don't get it."

"Obviously. Now can we talk about something else? How's my friend Kitty doing?"

Clark glances up at the mansion and his eyes flash electric blue. "Going through her closet for like the 10th time today," he reports what he can literally see.

"Why?"

"She's having dinner at her boyfriend's house tonight and meeting his guardian."

"And she can't choose what to wear," Chloe guesses.

"Yeah. Looks like she's roped Marie in to help her."

"Marie?"

"Oh she's new. Defected from the Hellions. She's dating Claire."

"Ok I'm not a big one for gossip but this one I've got to hear."

* * *

"What about this?" Kitty asks Marie as she holds up a red buttoned shirt. She didn't want to be too casual yet Peter insisted on not being too formal either. She has to get the balance just right to meet his aunt. It had meant Kitty had emptied out her closet and there was a pile of clothes on her bed, under which poor Lockheed had been buried an hour ago. He was probably just sleeping in all actuality.

Marie is sitting on Kitty's bed, her head cocked to the side as she peruses over this choice. The fact Kitty had even asked her to help flattered Marie. It made her feel like she had really been accepted here...at least by Kitty. "That's nice."

"Only nice?" Kitty asks with a frown. She wanted more than nice.

"Hmm hmm. Maybe with the khakis," Marie suggests.

"But...but I want more than just nice!"

"Kitty, anything more and you're slipping into formal. I thought you said casual."

"Peter said casual."

"Then what I said will suffice. Trust me. I'm French. If there is anything we do well it's fashion."

"But I'm meeting his aunt. Would nice be enough for you if you were meeting Claire's parents?"

"Kitty...I live with them 24/7. They've seen me in my nightwear. It's not quite the same."

"And if you didn't live with them and were going to meet them for the first time?"

"Then I'd wear the red shirt with the khakis and look fantastic in them," Marie playfully boasts.

"Well, yeah, I guess you totally would," Kitty has to say as she imagines it.

"And so will you. Heck, you'll probably knock this Peter over."

"You think so?" Kitty asks hopefully. She wants to do that to Peter.

Well Marie hadn't met this Peter but Kitty talked about him a lot. In response she says, "As long as he's a heterosexual male I know so."

Kitty turned round to her mirror and held the red shirt up to see what it looked like. It did look cute on her.

"So...how _well _do you know Peter?" Marie asks, curiously.

"Not like that well," Kitty replies, picking up on the suggestive overtone.

"So you don't know if he has a nice body?"

"Aren't you gay?"

"I can still appreciate a pleasant male form...and besides I'm asking more to see if he is something you appreciate."

Kitty had seen Peter shirtless once, when he was here after Tony Stark's party to have his injuries treated. "Well I have seen him shirtless."

"And?"

"He's actually totally ripped."

Marie grins.

"I mean not Clark-like ripped. Leaner. Like a swimmer...or a gymnast," Kitty tries to describe Peter's physique.

"So agile?"

"Yeah," Kitty says although with his spider-powers Peter is like superhumanly agile.

"Bet that means he can bend into..." Marie's lips curve up into a smoky smile... "_interesting _positions."

"Marie!" Kitty protests while she blushes furiously.

Marie laughs. "Sorry. Hanged around Jen too long," she says in reference to Roulette to explain that one.

"I...we...god I haven't even thought about that."

Marie can see Kitty's blush deepen. A sign the girl really is not ready for that and obviously hasn't thought about it. She decides to change subjects. After all she is trying to make Kitty her friend. "So the red shirt and the khakis and I'm certain Peter's aunt will love you," she says.

"You think?"

"Sure."

"Marie. Thanks for like helping me," Kitty says. She was starting to really like the French girl.

Marie shrugs. "That's what friends do right?"

"Yeah."

"So we friends?"

Kitty can see Marie is really wanting that. There is a hopeful wish in her eye. "Sure. After all the only ones with any real, like, fashion-sense around here have to stick together," Kitty says with remarkable seriousness about that.

Well Marie couldn't argue with that.

* * *

_Author's Note: A stalemate about the ship was the best outcome I thought the Professor and Fury would reach. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Self-possessed continues as Ruth's aunt drops by at the mansion and at the concert the consequences of Magneto's enhancer finally catch up with Rogue._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It was night and everyone going to the concert were just making the last minute adjustments to their clothing. Wanda had teleported in an hour ago. She was getting a better handle on the whole teleporting thing...you know apart from landing in that bush.

Up in their room Marie was giving her girlfriend a deep smoky look as Claire pulled herself in to tight leather flame red pants that clung to her like a second skin. Marie could feel heat pooling down in her core.

Claire secretly smirks to herself at her girlfriend's expression. Not that Marie didn't look amazingly hot herself. She did. Claire had more a few sinful thoughts about what to do to Marie. Her thoughts get interrupted.

"GET BACK HERE YOU FLYING SALAMANDER! YOU'RE DEAD!"

That was Bobby shouting in anger. Claire and Marie stick their heads out the door as a little purple dragon flies by followed by Bobby running after him holding his shirt instead of wearing it. Well there goes any lusty thoughts in Claire's head after seeing Drake shirtless.

Kitty steps out her room, dressed in the red shirt and khakis like Marie suggested. She was just about to leave for New York. Lockheed lands on her shoulder. "What is, like, going on?" she asks.

Bobby slides to a stop and holds his shirt up, practically sticking it into Kitty's face. "That overgrown handbag you call a pet scorched my shirt!" he complains.

Before Kitty can respond there is a burst of laughter emanating from Claire as she steps past Bobby and moves next to Kitty where she proceeds to gently stroke the underside of Lockheed's chin with her finger. "Who's a good boy," she coos. Lockheed 'purrs' in response. "Kitty. I love your pet," she says because Lockheed seemed to share her dislike of Iceman.

"Well I don't!" Bobby spits out furiously. "Since he got here he has done nothing but try and make my life misery!"

"Oh, you're totally exaggerating!" Kitty dismisses that as.

"Right. So he doesn't steal off my plate at meal times?"

"Well...uh...maybe he did that once," Kitty might concede.

"More like every meal since he got here! And why me? What have I done to deserve this?"

"You breathe," Claire says with a smug tone.

"It's more likely a fire and ice thing," Marie contributes as she drops into this conversation.

"No. I really think it's just because he's obnoxious," Claire insists.

"I believe that only reinforces my point. Sorry, sweetie," Marie apologises because that is her reasoning as to why Claire dislikes Bobby so much.

Claire pouts a little.

Kitty pats Lockheed on the head. "Look, Bobby. I'm like totally sorry about the shirt. I'll pay for a new one," she feels she should do that.

"Yeah and what about tonight? This was my best shirt," Bobby complains. He even got it washed just so he could wear it for taking Chloe to the concert.

"It doesn't matter," Claire says. "Just go put a new one on. My stomach can only stand seeing you shirtless for so long."

"You are so getting pranked tomorrow," Bobby tells her.

"Give it your best shot," Claire dares him with a manic grin.

If Bobby didn't need to find a new shirt he would so totally get Claire right now. He turns and stomps away grumbling about dragons and redheads.

"Well that was fun," Claire declares.

Marie smiles. It was a little fun. "So who is looking after Lockheed while you're out tonight?" she asks Kitty.

"Mrs Kent said she would."

"Are you sure he'll stay? He is awful attached to you," Claire mentions.

"He's stayed while I'm at school," Kitty reminds Claire. "Why wouldn't he stay tonight?"

Claire shrugs. Kitty had a point she supposed.

Just then a gust of wind indicates Clark's arrival. The 3 girls take a minute to check him out in all decked out in a black shirt and black leather pants.

"I feel tempted to switch sides," Marie quips.

"Marie, please leave the shitty humour to my brother," Claire requests of her girlfriend.

Clark rolls his eyes and scratches the top of Lockheed's head. "You ready to go, Kitty?" he asks since he is dropping her off in New York before heading to the concert.

"Yeah. I just need to get my coat," Kitty replies as she heads back inside her room.

"Sooo...this is more daring than usual for you," Clare comments at his clothing. "What happened? Run out of plaid?"

"Rogue told me to dress 'bad' so I'm simply following my girlfriend's advice."

"Wow. You are the perfect boyfriend mindlessly obeying his better half," Marie jokes. "Now I'm really tempted to switch sides."

"That so?" Claire asks, a little annoyed sounding. She grabs Marie's face and kisses the life out of her for a long time. "Still feel like switching?" she asks breathlessly.

"Nope," Marie replies in a breathless dreamy daze. "But my memory can be fleeting. How about reminding me again?"

Claire presses her lips to Marie's once more.

Clark is now completely uncomfortable standing here, wishing Kitty would hurry up.

Kitty returns with her jacket on and Lockheed hovering over her head and spots Claire and Marie making out. "Ah. Young love!" she jests.

"You make that joke about every couple in this place," Clark points out.

"I so don't," Kitty insists.

"Normally I would argue with you Kitty but even I have my limits. If we don't go you'll be late."

"Right," Kitty says. She certainly didn't want to be late. What a douchebag impression that would make on Peter's aunt.

With that she and Clark leave to drop off Lockheed with Mrs Kent. They leave behind Claire and Marie still lost in a deep kiss.

* * *

**Parker Residence, New York...**

Peter was pacing back and forth as the clock ticked down to Kitty's scheduled arrival time. He had been panicking for days about this dinner. He would rather go fight the Green Goblin again.

May was watching him with amusement as she prepared dinner. She knows she should say something to reassure him but it was just too funny to see him so worked up. She guessed he must really like this girl.

"So I told you about her how she is _special _right?" Peter asks his aunt.

"Yes. Peter. You mentioned she's Jewish."

"No. Not that."

"And that she is a vegetarian."

"Um...no. Not that either."

May's lips quirk into a smirk.

"Are you messing with me?" Peter asks incredulously, unable to believe his aunt would do that to him.

May laughs lightly. "Sorry, Peter. I couldn't resist. Yes. You told me she's a mutant," she confirms he did mention that.

"And you're really not bothered?" he asks. He asks because he knows people who are. Liz, specifically. Seriously it's like she has a phobia about mutants or something. Her reaction is that strong. MJ, Harry and Gwen...it's been a little better lately. They certainly don't seem as hostile as when he started dating Kitty although that may be more of a reluctance acceptance on their part because he told them bluntly that he's dating Kitty, end of story.

"Peter if you like her then she must be a good person," May reasons. She has trust in Peter's judgement.

"She is. She's...great," Peter says with his voice full of emotion.

"Then that is what matters."

"Thanks Aunt May," Peter says, feeling a bit better about how tonight will go.

The doorbell rings.

"That'll be her!" Peter starts to panic.

"Yes," May says calmly. "Why don't you open the door and invite her in?" she suggests.

"Right. Yes. Good thinking," Peter says as he rushes off to answer the door. When he reaches the door Peter takes a minute to straighten out his clothes and try and brush down his unkempt brown hair. He takes a breath and opens the door to find the cute girl of his dreams standing there, biting her nails nervously.

Kitty yanks her hand away from her teeth at record speed. "Hi Pete!" she says in a high-pitched tone. She was nervous as hell about this. What if she doesn't make a good impression on his only living relative?

"Hi Kitty. Come in," he invites her.

Kitty steps inside and Peter shuts the door.

"Let me take your coat," he offers. His aunt raised him well.

Kitty slips her jacket off and Peter hands it up on a peg by the door. He then leads her into the lounge where May is waiting.

"Kitty this my aunt. Aunt May this is Kitty Pryde," Peter introduces.

Kitty takes a moment to judge the silver haired older woman. She looked more friendly than Kitty had let herself picture. "Hello Mrs Parker. It's very nice to meet you," she says politely.

May smiles. "It is very nice to meet you too. Peter talks about you constantly."

"He does?"

"Yes but he failed to describe quite how lovely you are."

"Aunt May," Peter lightly protests.

Kitty's cheeks flush with colour.

May moves to guide Kitty to a chair and sits her down. "Dinner will be awhile yet. How about you tell me about yourself," she suggests, wishing to know about the girl dating her nephew.

"S-sure. Where do you want to start?"

"Well how about where you come from," May suggests, seeing that the girl is very nervous in her presence.

Kitty nods and begins to talk about her home in Illinois.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The students hadn't been long out the door when Ruth's aunt, Carol Aldine, finally showed up apologising profusely for being this late. It's not that she doesn't want to see her niece. She has been desperately worried about Ruth but she couldn't just drop everything in her life. Her job is hanging by a thread in this economy as is and if she loses that how could she support Ruth?

The Professor has always been an understanding man and he accepts her reasons.

When aunt and niece are brought together the reaction proves that Ruth's aunt cares.

The slender woman, in her late 30s, with similarly dark hair to Ruth's rushes over and hugs the slender girl. "Oh God, Ruth!" she cries, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she feels like she has to apologise for not being able to protect the girl when Magneto came calling.

"You have nothing to apologise for, thank you," Ruth assures her aunt. "It is my fault he came."

"Don't ever say that!" Carol insists. "None of it has ever been your fault! Do you understand?" she wants Ruth to know that it was never her fault.

"I can never understand. Only see," Ruth says with a far off voice. She can see other place, other times but she can never understand the pattern that lies beneath.

Carol's face is a mask of sympathy...and sadness. Sad she'll never be able to understand what it is Ruth endures.

Once Carol and Ruth have had time to re-bond with each other, Carol requests a private meeting with Professor Xavier.

Once in his office Charles has Martha bring Carol a cup of tea.

"I'm not sure where to start," Carol admits.

"At the beginning," Charles suggests. "Ruth was born like she is?"

Carol nods. "Her mother, my sister, Kathy, loved her though. It wasn't easy...especially with Luca."

"Ruth's brother."

Carol nods once more.

"She has told me a little but if you could elaborate...I know it's painful. I'm sorry," Charles apologises for asking her to raise such painful memories.

Carol swallows her grief down. "He was always trouble. Little teenage delinquent. He always hated Ruth. Then mutants were revealed and those Friends of Humanity people started appearing and he fell in with them. Somehow he got it in his head that he needed to 'cleanse' his family of the mutant filth. He recorded a video beforehand saying exactly that as he 'justified' his actions. I would have killed the little bastard if I could," she says with hate.

Charles can feel the waves of hate flowing off the woman. Understandable to a point. "What happened?"

"He tried to chop Ruth up with a chainsaw."

Charles closes his eyes momentarily. Such hate. He will never understand it despite being a telepath.

"Kathy pushed Ruth out of the way...or that was what the police concluded happened and he killed her instead. What happened next I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"When the police got there they found Ruth on the floor having a seizure, gibbering nonsense and Luca...he was still standing there, chainsaw in hand in some sort of catatonic state. He's still in that. They say his brain resembles someone in a persistent vegetative state...and Ruth. She's never been the same. It's like she's...broken in some way."

"Broken?" Charles queries with some confusion.

"You've heard Ruth speak?"

"Yes."

"She didn't always speak like that. In fact she was, apart from her eyes and her visions, perfectly normal but since that day, when her mother died, she hasn't been a whole person. I know that makes little sense. It is the only description I can think of."

"What does Ruth say happened?"

"She can't remember it. She can remember her mother dying and then the next thing she says she can remember is when I arrived at the hospital for her."

Charles brow furrows. Obviously something happened. Perhaps something Ruth did in that moment when she saw her mother murdered. It would mean her power, though, stretches beyond merely having visions. Charles moves on for the moment but he'll come back to that. "Tell me about Magneto," he requests.

"He showed up one day, him and his...gang looking for my mother."

"Your mother, why?"

"Because she is where Ruth gets it from."

"Your mother had visions too?"

"Yes. It skipped me and my sister. Magneto was wasting his time, though. I haven't seen Irene since I was 16," she says bitterly at the lack of motherly love.

"Irene? Adler?" Charles queries the name that instantly pops into his head about an Irene who has visions.

"You know her?" Carol asks back in surprise.

"We've met. I had no idea she had ever had children. Ruth's her granddaughter then."

"And to save me she left with him. God, she's such a brave little girl," Carol praises, tearing up. She fetches a tissue from her pocket and wipes the tears away. "Anyway I would rather not talk about my mother. Where were her damn visions when Kathy was killed? Where was she when we were burying Kathy? Her own daughter and she doesn't even show up at the funeral. Explain that one to me!"

"I'm sorry. I have no answers to give."

"I'm sorry too. That I ever had that woman as my mother."

"Aldine?" Charles asks about the name.

"Oh one of my mother's many aliases." Carol shrugs. "Seemed little point in ever changing it."

Charles would like to know more about whatever Irene has been up to but can see that is a very sensitive subject. Abandonment issues abound.

"I want to thank you, for saving Ruth," Carol says with genuine gratefulness.

"It seems Ruth may have had a hand in saving herself."

"In what way?"

"She saw a way to get out of her predicament and made sure Magneto went down that path. That's a crude summary but the gist as we understand it."

"Did he hurt her?"

"There are no physical signs of abuse of any sort. She's a little underweight and as far as we know he kept her locked up under constant guard but apart from that she seems well."

"That's good," Carol says with some relief. She takes a moment to sip on her tea. "Professor Xavier. Can you help Ruth?" she asks the question.

"I can certainly give it my best," is all he can promise.

"Let me be clear that I would have her home with me no problem but as I said she hasn't been the same since that day her mother died. I suspect her powers have something to do with it but I don't know how to help...fix her," Carol comes up with the only descriptive term she can apply.

"That's not a decision solely you can make. Ruth would have to want to stay," Charles makes the point. Carol may be Ruth's legal guardian but he can't keep people here against their will.

Carol nods in agreement. "I guess we better talk to her."

* * *

**At the concert...**

The concert had been going for about half an hour and as Clark looked around at his friends having a good time he had to say he was glad he entered that competition and got those tickets. All of them needed this change of pace badly.

Clark spots Roberto and Amara on what could be considered their 2nd 'date' this week. It seems something might be brewing between those two. However his focus was more on the girl next to him.

Rogue may have been dressed in her favourite green top with the mesh covering, black skirt, tights and boots but she always looked radiant to him. More importantly though she was clearly enjoying herself, evidenced by the smile on her face. He hadn't seen that smile too often lately and he certainly hadn't been generating it. She danced along to the music and damn did she look sexy doing it.

Rogue lets her hips swing to the beat of the music and takes a moment to glance at Clark. Dang, he looked sexy dressed all in black. She could literally eat him up. That feeling is only magnified by the fact that due to their problems recently it had been a good few weeks since they shared a bed.

Rogue knew this wasn't his sort of music but he was trying his best to get into it which she appreciated.

Rogue turns her attention to the stage. The lead singer Alison Blaire...she was amazing and really knew how to put on a show and she was only 18. Rogue was close enough to the stage see all the tattoos that covered both of Alison's arms. Alison Blaire was slender yet curvaceous at the same time. She had short black hair that was gelled into spikes and her ears, nose and lower lip had various piercings. She wore an extremely high cut black vest top and green cargo pants and black boots.

Hey, who do you think Rogue partially took her look off of.

As well as singing Alison also played the guitar. She is just finishing the current song which ends with her raising her hand into the air and streams of multi-coloured lights seem to emanate from her hand.

"That's an awesome effect!" Rogue has to say, really impressed by it.

Clark, whose eyes are so much sharper, has to correct her. "It's not an effect."

"What?"

Clark leans into her ear and speaks as softly as he can considering the ambient noise. "She is generating it herself."

Rogue's eyes widen as she gets it. "Ya mean she's a..."

Clark nods. "Hmm, hmm," he confirms.

She is a mutant. Alison Blaire is a mutant. Well Rogue will be damned.

Rogue looks off to her side to spot Domino dancing amongst a small group of guys. They way she is rubbing her body up against theirs obviously shows that, for horny young men, the prospect of getting near a hot, sexy women, overrides the fact she is a mutant...or they're simply already that drunk not to notice nor care. Rogue thinks Dom is here more for the guys than the music...and Dom's the designated adult for the evening.

Yeah Rogue doesn't see it either.

During the short interlude between songs Tabby was grabbing a drink of water. Sam was here with her and Tabby had to laugh out loud at the way he blushed every time Alison Blaire swore...which is often. There is a reason her albums are R rated. Her songs are littered with profanity.

On Tabby's other side was Wanda and Tabby had to say she had never seen Wanda this happy and relaxed since she met her. Wanda had dressed herself in a long black flowing skirt and scarlet red top and Tabby had watched as Wanda lost herself to the music, dancing away. It showed what an improvement the last several months had made on Wanda's personality.

The effect wasn't lost on a few boys nearby who Tabby had noticed making eyes at Wanda. That was one area Tabby still needed to help Wanda with because her friend had not noticed the attention she was getting at all. Tabby needs to help introduce Wanda to the pleasures of flirting.

"You enjoying yourself?" Bobby asks his date and he had to say Chloe could scrub up well. She had gone from cute to downright sexy.

"It's good," Chloe replies. Sure this music was more Lois' thing than hers but being with Bobby made up for it. His humour could be terrible but yet there was a sweetness to him under it Chloe was finding attractive. She doesn't mean to be harsh on Jordan(her ex). She knows his powers make his life hard but dear god did he mope. Not to mention he kept things from her. Bobby is in many ways the opposite and right now she wants that happy exterior person.

Claire was having a great time. She had never been to a concert before. She grew up on the streets until the day Lionel Luthor abducted her for his little mutant hit squad. In a way Claire was using this as an alternative way to blow off the steam she has after learning he escaped from prison. This concert was a first for her and hey the music wasn't bad. Alison Blaire swore worse than she did. She wondered if they could meet up and Claire could learn a few new ones for her repertoire.

Next to Claire Marie was happy because Claire looked so happy. Her girlfriend has a lot of anger and brooding issues so to see the rare times she is truly expressively happy is really something. Not to mention happy Claire looks more beautiful than ever. Marie couldn't deny that her heart pounded at the sight. She just lacks the courage to give voice to her feelings.

About an hour into the concert Rogue starts to suddenly feel unwell. It was weird. One minute she was cheering for Alison as she started her next song. The next her stomach was turning over.

"Hey. Are you ok?" Clark asks, noticing how pale and rough she looks.

"Ah'm-ah'm fahne. Just a little hot. Ah just need ta go tha restroom for a minute," Rogue insists.

"If you're not well I can take you home," Clark offers.

Rogue refuses that and Clark helps her through the crowd to the back where the restrooms are. He leans against the wall opposite the restroom and waits for Rogue. He can sympathise a little with her. His head is pounding a little. So many people in such a confined space and the loud music with his hearing wasn't a good combination. He pinches the bridge of his nose and tries to block all the sounds out.

Clark sighs as he pushes the nose to a dulled muffle and then spots Roberto and Amara have come back here...so they can make out apparently. Roberto has Amara pinned up against the wall as they kiss. He's not going to comment. He half-notices some blond girl entering the restroom.

In the restroom Rogue splashes some cold water on her face. She feels really hot and strange. Her skin was crawling all over and there was this pressure building up in her head. It felt like her head was heading to explode.

"Hey. You alright?" a blond girl asks her.

"Yeah. Ah'm fahne."

"You're sure. You're not looking so hot. Maybe you should have someone take you home," the girl suggests...almost insists.

Rogue wonders why this girl seems to care so much when her a red hot poker or what feels like it is shoved through her brain. She cries out and almost falls over.

The blond girl reaches for her but only succeeds is grabbing Rogue's sleeve and ripping it off.

Rogue tumbles to the ground, grabbing at her head. The blond girl this time hesitates to help her but another girl doesn't. Only to make the mistake of touching Rogue's bare arm and Rogue takes her life-force.

Rogue struggles up to her feet only for another girl to follow the mistake of the first one and touch her bare arm and another mind pours into Rogue's head. She cries out and pushes the girl away who bumps into the blond girl who rebounds off the nearby wall and into Rogue adding a 3rd mind.

Only this mind is much more familiar to Rogue. She spins round to see the blue form of Mystique lying on the floor. Anger rushes up inside her and that only makes the confusion in her head worse as the 3 memories swirl around.

The pressure increases and Rogue feels the sensation of the mental blocks in her head falling apart and the voices...the voices get louder and louder. She couldn't control them any more. "Shut up!" she screams but it has no effect.

They were loose and she couldn't stop them.

"Oh Gawd...Clark...please...help meh," she whimpers as she feels herself get swept away in the tidal wave.

Clark may have been trying to dial down the noise but Rogue's whimpers break in as clear as day. He almost moves at superspeed as he heads into the restroom and finds... 2 girls on the floor beside a blue skinned woman. "Mystique?" he queries. What the hell was she doing here?

Rogue is down on her knees and Clark kneels down in front of her. "Rogue. What's wrong?" he asks with great concern. Her face was twisted in pain and her eyes were red as tears streamed from them.

"Clark...mah head...ah can't shut them out. Gawd, help meh. Please," she pleads, as she barely clings on against the tide.

Clark was almost frantic with worry instantly. "It's ok," he assures her. "I'll get you home."

Rogue looks up through tear rimmed eyes at his reassuring smile.

Clark reaches forward to take her by the arms and help her up. The moment he touches her bare arm he cries out. He knows this sensation. This sensation of being drained. He's felt it before with Parasite.

Rogue is absorbing him.

Clark jerks his hand away and almost falls back. He has to put a hand on the floor to stop himself falling over in his weakened state. He is surprised at how weak he is feeling after only such a short contact. Muddled images he can't make out flash through his head. He looks up as Rogue cries out in pain again and her form starts to shift into one that resembles him.

'Rogue' smirks. That bad boy one Kal wears. "I've been waiting to do this for ages, Kent," she/he says with relish and the last thing Clark sees is an exact copy of his own fist as it smashes him in the face.

* * *

_Author's Note: As far as I can tell Ruth's mother and aunt have never been named so I just made a couple of names up and what has happened to her is my twist on the recent story involving Ruth and her brother. Think Ultimate Dazzler for Ali. No offence to the 616 version but I just preferred this one for my story. Oh dear. It looks like Rogue has absorbed Clark's naughty personality. That can't be good. Next up; Self-possessed, part 3; the race is on to try and save Rogue from herself._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Amara had to admit to have been pleasantly surprised by Roberto on their first date...although how this explains why they sneaked off to the back and decided to so some making out on what is technically their 2nd date is something she can't figure out. Maybe she shouldn't bother trying. This was actually kinda nice and it helped her forget her worries over her powers.

Roberto is thinking about why he didn't ask Amara out before. If he knew she was this much fun and could kiss like this he would have.

Their making out session is interrupted by a wall nearby exploding and they turn their heads to catch a glimpse of Clark flying out.

Through the dust they hear a roar and then stepping out of the hole comes a large figure dressed in a trench coat with long sandy hair and prominent canine teeth.

"Is that Sabretooth?!" Amara exclaims in total shock at what he was doing here.

Roberto mutters in Portuguese under his breath about having his night ruined. He prepares himself to fight the feral mutant. His powers had been growing lately to the point he could power himself up at night...well for a few minutes before he used the stored energy up. He powers himself up and flies into Sabretooth and the two smash through another wall.

While Roberto deals with Sabretooth Amara runs over to Clark who is lying on the ground in a daze. "Clark! You alright?"

Clark groans. "I think my spleen is halfway to Metropolis."

Amara smiles a little at the joke as she helps him up to a sitting position. "Do you even have a spleen?" she asks, since he is an alien.

"I have something that resembles one."

The sounds of people screaming hit their ears.

"Oh no," Amara says. "Roberto and Sabretooth must have burst into the crowd," she realises.

Clark's eyes widen as his brain fires back up. "It's not Sabretooth. It's Rogue." Well he's assuming anyway.

"What?" Amara asks, clearly lost.

Clark unsteadily gets to his feet as he summarises it as briefly as possible about what happened in the restroom about finding Mystique and Rogue and somehow her absorbing him. He staggers over to the hole in the wall made by his body. "Mystique's gone," he complains. He wanted to get some answers out of her to see if she knew what was going on. "Come on," he says to Amara. "We need to help Roberto."

Clark and Amara fight their way through the crowds trying to exit and spot Roberto and 'Rogue' fighting in front of the stage. 'Rogue' has gotten Roberto in a choke hold and he is crying out in pain, his powered up form fading slowly. "She's absorbing him," Clark realises what is happening.

"Hey you! Hairball!" That shout came over the speakers. It's Alison Blaire. "You're trashing my show!" she complains angrily. "Only I get to do that!" she shouts indignantly.

Sabretooth/Rogue snaps his/her head round and snarls at the source of the voice. He/she releases Roberto and jumps up on the stage, roaring loudly as he/she advances on his/her prey.

Alison...or Ali, as she prefers, smirks. "That's it. Keep on whining, bitch. The louder you whine the harder I bring it!" she taunts him to just come a little closer so she can hit him at point-blank range. See Ali figured out pretty early on after her powers first appeared that she can convert sound into light and she can focus that power into many forms. Swirls of light surround her hands. She starts to sing. "Dum, dum, Swallow this you $%$%!" she yells as she slams her hands together in front of her and a powerful multicoloured beam of light shoots from her hands and smashes into what she sees as the large ugly freak sending him crashing into the wall at the end of the stage which collapses down, burying him. Ali smirks. "The names Ali. Remember it you $%$%!"

Ali takes her turn to leave when she hears a different roar. She turns round as, from under the pile of rubble, a huge man in some sort of brown armour emerges. She hits him with a beam of light from her hand only it breaks off him like glass as it is utterly ineffectual.

"Holy fuck!" Tabby exclaims to her boyfriend. "Is that the Juggernaut?!"

There is a loud whistle. It's Clark. "Sam! Get Ali!" he orders, pointing at the girl on the stage who has no idea how much danger she is in right now.

Sam nods and powers himself up. "Cannonball!" he shouts as he propels himself off the ground.

Clark grabs a nearby large speaker and uses what strength he has left to throw it at Rogue and distract her while he mentally apologises for throwing stuff at his girlfriend.

It works enough and Sam manages to grab Ali before Rogue/Juggernaut breaks her in half. "Don't fret Miss Blaire. Ah've got ya," Sam reassures the girl in case he's frightened her in anyway.

Ali wraps her hands around his neck and smiles flirtatiously. "I bet you say that to all the girls, don't ya," she says and he wasn't bad looking she had to say.

Sam blushes while he tries to remember to turn and not hit a wall.

"Rogue!" Clark shouts at her, trying to reach her.

Rogue/Juggernaut glares at him and roars before turning away and running. He/she jumps through a wall and escapes.

Clark makes move to chase after her but he stumbles. "I can't. I'm too drained," he berates himself for not having the power to follow her.

The mutants, one blond reporter and one alien group together except for Sam who is making sure to drop Ali off somewhere safe while trying to ward off her _advances_. By now the place is mostly empty. Amara goes to help Roberto off the floor. Dom returns, late, after being, ahem, _distracted_ with this guy she was with. Hey, give her a break. A girl has needs.

"What do you mean Rogue?" Wanda wants to know at what Clark was shouting.

"What she said?" Domino asks, pointing at Wanda, utterly lost about what is going on.

"It's Rogue. Something has happened with her powers. She's lost control," Clark summarises briefly.

"Time of the month?" Bobby quips. "Because those are some serious mood swings."

Claire hits the ice-generator over the back of his head at his stupidity with much glee.

Clark raises a hand to his dizzy head. "We have to find her before she hurts someone," he says and also they have to find her and help her which is equally if not more important.

"Are you ok?" Chloe asks, worry in her tone. She had never seen Clark look...well he looks sick.

"No. She absorbed me."

"Whoa! Back up there CK," Tabby intervenes. "I thought she couldn't absorb you."

"What she said," Domino says once again, still not really up to speed but obviously something is very wrong with her sister and that worries her a lot.

"She can't. The only times when something like that has happened have been when kryptonite was involv..." Clark wobbles and it takes a few of them to catch him due to his sheer dense mass.

Clark jumps away from the concert venue. He's in some sort of tube with a transparent front and Live Wire is there. His gloved hands are banging on the glass...no wait. Those are Rogue's hands. These are her memories. That was what those jumbled images were when he touched her he figures out. As she absorbed him somehow he was inside her head.

The scene plays out with Live Wire activating Magneto's enhancer with Rogue inside. The tube fills with green energy and light and Clark snaps back to the present. "Rao curse you Rogue. Why didn't you tell me?!" he snaps angrily. She had made no mention of this to him or anyone as far as he knows.

"Tell you what?" Chloe asks.

"I'll explain on the way back to the Institute. We're going to need everyone if we're going to find her."

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Jonathan was taking 5 minutes for himself. He was sitting down in a sitting room, with the fire roaring and just relaxing. You don't get too many opportunities to relax around here. His attention is drawn by the entrance of someone else. He smiles as he spots it to be his darling wife...although she seems to have a worried look on her face. "What's the matter, honey?"

"I can't find Lockheed," Martha reports what has her so worried. She was suppose to be watching over him for Kitty.

"You tried Kitty's room?" Jonathan proposes. Lockheed is often found curled up asleep on Kitty's bed...or somewhere in her room.

Martha nods. "Yes," she says still anxious. "I've looked everywhere."

Jonathan gets to his feet and goes and rubs her arms. "I'm sure he's fine," he tries to assure her. "He's probably just curled up in some corner in a cupboard somewhere."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right. I mean it's not like he's flown to New York after Kitty now is it?"

"No. I guess not," Martha says with a laugh. That would be ridiculous.

Just then there is a summons from the Professor. An urgent sounding one. Jonathan quietly groans. There goes his 5 minutes of peace.

* * *

The emergency had meant speaking to Ruth had been interrupted. With everyone leaving for an emergency meeting Carol is temporarily alone with her niece. "Do you know what is going on?" she asks Ruth.

"What was two that had become one will become two again, yes, no."

Carol looks at Ruth with a pained expression. Her hand reaches up and strokes Ruth's cheek. "Ruth. What did he do to you?" she asks in reference to Luca.

Silence. Ruth has no answer to give.

"Ruth, about what we were discussing. Do you want to stay here or come home with me?" Carol asks her since Ruth hadn't given a positive answer one way or the other yet.

"He is rising. Ancient. Powerful. He clouds everything. What was clear has become fog, thank you."

"You can't see what's coming?"

"I could. It was all so clear. Now it's like a veil has been pulled over my eyes. He doesn't want me to see."

"Who is he?"

"His name...he forbids me to know. I can't see. I can't choose, sorry."

"Ruth. Your choices should not solely be about what you can see. It should be about what you, personally, want."

"He doesn't want me to see so I can't interfere. There is nothing I can do here. I want to go home."

"Can you see if that is safe? Magneto, will he come back for you?"

"Will not return. The darkness will soon envelop him in it's grip. He allows me to see that. I want to go home, please."

Carol smiles. She's more than happy to have Ruth back but part of her hoped she would stay here so Professor Xavier could help her niece but if Ruth wants to come home then so be it. She pulls Ruth's head into her. "Ok. We'll go home," she agrees to what Ruth wants.

Ruth raises her slender arms and hugs her aunt, trying to keep a grip on her whereabouts as her ability to see is lessened. He is rising. His darkness will spread...and the Earth shall succumb...the Earth...shall succumb...the Earth shall succumb...to...to...

She can't do it. She can't even see his name. He won't let her.

All Ruth does know is that they all should be very, very afraid.

* * *

**Later, somewhere in Bayville...**

Rogue was running through the streets. She couldn't even remember how she got here. Last thing she remembers is being in the restroom with Clark and then it is blank until now.

She slips into an alley and slides down against the wall behind some garbage bins. Her head hurts and she couldn't focus. She felt like she was going insane...and maybe she was. She has always feared that one day she would be swallowed by the voices.

Even now she could feel them like...like they were fighting it out for who took control.

She brings her knees up to her chest and sinks her face into her arm and tries desperately to keep herself afloat.

Rogue doesn't notice the small black bird fly down that had been following her since she left the concert venue.

The bird shifts into Mystique. "Rogue."

Rogue's head shoots up and she virtually snarls. "You!" she shouts in anger as she gets to her feet and stomps over to Mystique. "What do ya want?! Isn't it enough ya have already used meh twice?! Felt lahke maybe third tahme was tha charm!"

"Please listen," Mystique pleads with her, seeing how desperately Rogue requires help. "I know I've hurt you but I only posed as your friend so I could be near you."

"Liar!" Rogue snaps and as she says it she changes into Mystique. She grabs Mystique by the arm and throws her into the metal trash cans littering the alley. "Ya were just using meh ta spy on tha X-Men!"

"No! It's not that simple," Mystique tries to say as she stands herself up. Rogue turns and walks away from her. Mystique gives chase and barely manages to dodge a spinning kick. "Please don't do this."

Rogue/Mystique throws a backhanded punch that Mystique blocks and then dodges a few more before flipping backwards away from a sweeping kick.

Rogue seethes. "Ya used meh meh!" she screams. "Ya pretended ta beh mah friend!" Rogue shifts into Risty and then back to herself. "Ya lied and manipulated meh ta join tha Brotherhood!" Rogue shifts forms through Avalanche, Quicksilver, Toad and Blob before returning to herself.

"I had to!" Mystique shouts passionately. "And if you have my memories you know why. You know what we are to each other!"

"Ah don't know anything!"

"Yes. You do. Think. When you were 4. The woman who adopted you."

Rogue had only a few memories of that time. "She left meh with Irene..."

"That's it," Mystique encourages Rogue to try and remember. Then to help she changes into a blond woman of about 35.

Rogue takes a few steps back, her eyes as wide as saucers. How did Mystique know what that woman looked like? Then a few memories filter into her head of herself as a small girl being collected at the orphanage but then she realises they are not her own memories. The perspective is from the woman who adopted her. They're that woman's memories. They're...Mystique's memories! "No," she says weakly, backing up more as other memories surface.

Hope starts to prevail in Mystique that she is succeeding. "Yes. You remember. I was the one who adopted you Rogue. I'm your mother. I'm sorry I wasn't there for all those years you were growing up but my work for Magneto took precedent. That's why when your powers manifested I had to have you with the Brotherhood. That's why I became Risty so I could be close to you and watch over you. I wish I could have told you sooner but there were...complications."

Rogue didn't want to believe it. This woman who had caused her so much pain but the memories flowed easily through her mind showing her that it was true. She couldn't handle this. "No...it can't beh true..it can't..." she cries.

"It is true!" Mystique insists. She has to make Rogue see the truth so her daughter will allow her to help.

"NO!" Rogue screams and with a burst of Jean's power she shoves Mystique away hard and then vanishes in a haze of green mist, tears streaming down her face.

* * *

Elsewhere the others were looking everywhere for Rogue. By now those that attended the concert had managed to get home, get changed into their costumes, informed everyone of what had happened and were back out in Bayville. Some in the x-copter; the Velocity. Others taking the ground route in the x-van.

Clark's body had recovered enough from the shock of being drained that he was running around on foot but he was way off his usual pace and the drain had dulled all his senses so that he couldn't pick out Rogue's heartbeat.

Even if he could he wonders if it would do any good. Unlike Mystique Rogue wasn't just taking their shape, she was mimicking them perfectly, including their powers. The bruise on Clark's jaw was proof of that after she/Kal clocked him.

Clark comes to a stop on a rooftop and tries to decide where to go to next. What does he do in a situation like this with his girlfriend's powers out of control and her possibly out of her mind...and why the hell did she not tell him about happened in Magneto's base?

Clark's sorry he's stuck on that but it seems to him like a thing she should have mentioned. After all they've been dating close to a year. Surely she trusts him enough to feel able to share this sort of thing with him.

"Where are you Rogue?" he asks. He wasn't sure where next to look for her.

Just then a loud thunder clap rocks the sky over his shoulder. He turns his head to see a storm building in a very centralised area. Since he's not a particularly religious person he's going to guess that's Rogue and she has just accessed Storm's powers. He zips off in that direction as fast as he can.

The Professor, aboard the Velocity along with Storm and the New Mutants, felt the surge in mutant power. He had the remote Cerebro helmet on and was trying to penetrate Rogue's mind but there were too many other personalities for him to get through the chatter.

He sends the message to the x-van about the location he picked up Rogue. He hopes they can get to her in time or he fears that there might not be much left of her mind to save.

* * *

For Rogue herself she was lost in her own mind. She had only fleeting memories of places and bits and pieces of things she has done. Right now she was floating above the street, though she couldn't remember why nor does she know how.

She sees a police car driving by and anger rises up inside her. Anger and hatred of humans. Images flash in her head of barbed wire and guards in Nazi uniforms and the hate rises up stronger. All the metal around her groans and strains at her power before she magnetically picks the car up and throws it with little regard for the people inside.

It gets caught by a figure in red and blue. He seems familiar to Rogue somehow. He is joined by a black van and more people who look familiar as well but she can't quite place them.

The X-Men pour out of he x-van. There is Jean, Beast, Spyke, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Domino and the Scarlet Witch. After making sure the police were out of harm's way Superman joins them.

Logan looks up at his daughter and for the first real time what feels like fatherly worry is welling up inside him. He knows he ain't the best father in the world but seeing his daughter in this state is raising a whole new bunch of emotions.

Without Scott and Storm not here yet Jean takes charge. First thing she does is mind-wipe the two police officers in the car. It's a violation, she knows but the last thing they need is more trouble with the police. They already have a prickly relationship as is with the local authorities. She then gives them the suggestion to take 40 winks and hopefully by the time they wake up this whole thing will be long over.

Jean looks up at Rogue. Since she went through her own power surge she can sympathise with how scared Rogue must be feeling. "Ok. Remember not to hurt her. We need to try and get her down and calm her down," Jean gives out her instructions.

Lightning cracks the sky. "Oh man I so don't have a good feeling about this," Evan mutters.

Jean tries to reach out with her telepathy but there is too much noise and she can't get in. She makes her first decision. "Nightcrawler," Jean says.

Kurt nods. He had to break off a date with Amanda for this. The blue mutant teleports behind Rogue and grabs her in mid-air. "Easy zhere, Rogue. Ve just vant to help you," he tries to says in reassuring tones. He then tries to teleport her to the ground but it goes wrong and somehow he finds himself hitting the ground hard and Rogue is somewhere else. "How did she do zhat?" he asks, totally perplexed.

"Kurt!" Clark shouts as he zips in and pulls Kurt out of the way as several razor sharp bony spikes impact the ground where he was as Rogue accesses Spyke's power.

"Oh so no ripping me off!" Evan complains. "Looks like we do this the hard way!" he proclaims as he generates a few spikes.

Logan grabs Evan roughly by his uniform. "No hurting her!" he snarls, pissed as hell.

Evan gulps and retracts his spikes. "Sorry."

Domino fires off some stunning shots at Rogue from her weapons but they impact something that resembles Jean's TK shield.

"Wanda. Can you neutralise her powers?" Clark wonders.

"I can try," Wanda says but with Rogue's powers so out of control there is no way to know if even she can dampen them down. She fires a hex bolt only to find Rogue retaliate by firing one of her own.

The two hex bolts meet and start to shift and change.

"Oh that can't be good," Wanda mutters in instant alarm.

The two hex bolts explode outward shaking the whole area. It momentarily blinds everyone of Rogue.

"Flame on!" they hear her shout in her distinct accent and a Rogue completely covered in fire flies toward them.

"When did she absorb the Human Torch?" Domino asks at the recognisable appearance she has now.

"At Stark's party," Clark answers, frustrated as hell at how weak his powers are right now and at how little he can do to help his girlfriend.

Rogue fires flaming spikes at them forcing them to dodge out of the way.

"I didn't know she could combine powers like zhat!" Kurt says as he teleports out of the way of what he guesses is a combination of Spyke's and the Human Torch's powers.

As Jean raises a TK shield to protect herself she doesn't think any of them know what Rogue is really capable of doing because Rogue's powers have never worked properly.

Rogue sweeps in low and Clark sees his chance. He runs right at her, leaps and tackles her to the ground, the flames around her dying down as they tumble across the ground a few times. "Rogue! Fight it! I know you're in there!"

Rogue cracks him in the jaw with the palm of her hand, with superstrength behind the blow sending him flying until he impacts a parked car which crumples around his body. Clark is dazed as hell and aching all over at the impact showing how weak he currently is.

By now the Velocity lands and the New Mutants stream out and surround Rogue.

Rogue looks around at all her opponents. She accesses Multiple's power and makes several copies of herself that stand back to back in a circle. They all inhale simultaneously and access Clark's superbreath and generate a blast magnified by the fact it is like several Clarks doing it at the same time.

Everyone is forced back by the maelstrom before the Rogues starts picking them off one by one with blasts of red crimson energy from their eyes. Scott's power.

"Alright. Enough of this!" Wanda cries. Rogue may be her friend, so she's been holding herself back but this is getting out of hand. She slams a huge hex bolt into the road surface and it tears along until it collides into the group of Rogues knocking them over like bowling pins.

With her momentarily down Clark and Logan try to get close to her, hoping they can reach her.

"Rogue! Fight this!" Logan tells her. "You never let people push you around. Why are you starting now?"

"Listen to him, Rogue," Clark adds hoping this will work. "You're one of the strongest people I know. Fight this."

The struggle is clear in Rogue's face but her eyes lose their red glow and the dupes slowly fade away one by one as Rogue tries to push the voices back. She gets up to her knees. "Ah-Ah don't know...Ah can't..."

Clark is there in an instant by her side. "Yes. You can," he assures her. "Let us help you."

Rogue looks at him and she shifts forms into Kal.

"Help her?" Rogue/Kal asks mockingly before he throws his head back and laughs. "Ha! That's rich! Why would she let you help her, Kent? After all we keep all those little secrets from her don't we and we both know how much she hates secrets being kept."

Clark's face grows sombre and to everyone's surprise he doesn't deny what 'Kal' is accusing him of. "I do what I have to do to protect her," he says at barely a whisper.

"Funny. That's what Mystique said," Rogue/Kal shoots and hits home painfully.

Clark's face screws up angrily and in an instant he acts on a crazy impulse he has and grabs Rogue's face. He cries out as she absorbs him once more but this time he doesn't let go.

Clark feels like he is falling, images flash by...Rogue's memories, his brain records everything but he pushes on and lets himself fall further until he hits the ground. He looks up to find himself in what appears to be a prison with the cell doors open and the prisoners running riot. The prisoners being all the people Rogue has absorbed. He's in her mind...or what his brain interprets it currently to be.

That was his crazy impulse. When he first touched her in that restroom he had gotten in here but it was so brief he hadn't even realised it at first. With a longer contact he guesses he could consciously enter her mind and amazingly it worked. Don't ask him to explain how he is doing this though. Must be his weird alien brain.

Clark finds himself jerked to his feet by Kal.

"Welcome to the Insane Asylum farmboy!"

Clark slugs him across the jaw.

Kal lies there and rubs where he was struck.

"I've been waiting to do that for ages," Clark uses Kal's words from the concert.

Kal grins. "And you wonder whether we're the same person?" he asks rhetorically.

Clark offer his hand. "You going to help or what?"

Kal takes the hand and Clark yanks him up, seeing that as Kal choosing to help.

"How did you get in here?" Clark asks his anomalous personality.

"You've been kind of worn down lately. Weakened the barriers you use to keep me locked up. Saw a chance to explore pastures new!"

Clark so needs to speak to Jor-El. He must be screwed up if Kal can literally escape from his head. "Where's Rogue?" he asks, since she is why he is here.

"Just follow the crowd my duller, less interesting self," Kal points at where all the others are running to.

Clark and Kal run after them. When they catch the crowd up they find them swarming, grasping at, fighting over Rogue who is curled up in a corner trying to protect herself. Clark and Kal proceed to fight their way through them and in a way it was sort of cathartic getting to hit people you wouldn't normally. It was a way to release the stress of their annoying habits. Hitting the echo of Pietro was particularly enjoyable.

They reach Rogue and Clark bends down to check on her while Kal keeps the mob busy. "Rogue...Anna. It's me. It's Clark," he tries to reach her.

Rogue lowers her arms that she was using to shield herself. Her eyes, even if this is just her mental reflection, were rimmed red. "C-Clark?" she queries, her voice tiny.

Clark smiles gently. "Hey, there."

"How are ya here?"

"Can we save the stories for later?!" Kal complains as he kicks the echo of Scott away.

Rogue looks at Kal and then back at Clark waiting for an explanation.

"He decided my head wasn't interesting enough," Clark gives the only explanation he has.

"That's right. I'm thinking of moving in! What do you say?" Kal asks Rogue.

Strength seems to flood into Rogue's eyes. "Wha do ah say? How about hell no!"

Kal throws the echo of Kitty away with far too much enjoyment on his face. "Oh come on. Think about how much more interesting it will be with me to keep you company!" Kal makes his case.

"Read mah lips! Hell! No!" Rogue refuses him. Good God if she doesn't haven enough problems she ain't having Clark's alter ego swarming around her head.

"Why not?" Kal asks, pouting slightly.

"Because it's mah mind and ah don't want ya here!"

"Exactly!" Kal says smugly as if some sort of point has been proven.

Clark rolls his eyes. "Don't give yourself too much credit," he pours scorn on his less charming self.

"Ah don't understand," Rogue says.

"This is your mind, Anna," Clark says to her. "It's not theirs," he indicates at the loose personalities. "Take it back."

"Ah-ah can't," she whimpers while shaking her head. "They come back. They always come back," she says as if sounding utterly defeated and resigned to that fact.

"And so will I if I have to, to help you. So will your friends. They're here right now in the real world for you." Clark pulls her into a hug. "Take my strength. Feel for your friends' strength and use it to take your mind back."

Rogue can feel the surge of Clark's power. Her mind was so messed up she never really felt it before but right now she can feel the power of the sun flow through her veins. It was incredible. Beyond description. It felt like there was nothing...nothing she could now not do. "Is this how ya feel all tha tahme?" she asks in a breathless whisper.

"You get use to it," Clark plays it down with a shrug.

Rogue pulls back and looks into his eyes. "Clark...ah've seen..."

Clark stops her with a finger to her lips. She's seen stuff in his head he never wanted her to. "We'll talk about it later," he states clearly. This was not the time.

Rogue nods and she stands to her feet. She advances on the crowd of echoes with renewed determination, given to her by feeling Clark's utter faith in her that she can do this. "This is mah mind!" she declares. "All of ya...back ta where ya belong!" she shouts and she raises her hands and metal chains appear from her palms and start to wrap around the mob of ghosts and pull them back towards their cells.

They struggle and curse and fight as they are literally dragged away. Rogue's face twitches at the strain and she worries for a brief moment whether she can't do it.

Then more chains appear and wrap themselves around the mob. Clark, Kal and Rogue look to see the Professor standing there.

"I'm here, Rogue," the Professor assures her. He hadn't been able to penetrate her mind at first but Clark's efforts had helped open the door and now he was going to use his immense telepathic powers to lock all the ghosts back up.

One by one they are dragged back into their cells and the doors slam shut. The Professor moves over to the wall, places his hands upon it and the 'concrete' spreads outward covering the barred cells' doors leaving only a tiny small grill at eye-level as he reinforces the mental barriers that will hopefully stay put this time.

* * *

Back in the real world what everyone sees is Rogue's appearance change from Kal to Cyclops to Jean to Kitty to Kurt to everyone she has ever absorbed one by one as they are locked back up.

The Professor snaps back into his chair and sags a little. "Logan! Pull them apart!" he orders as Clark's hands are still on Rogue's face and she is still absorbing him.

Logan grabs them and yanks them apart. Clark and Rogue lie on the ground unconscious.

"D-did it vork?" Kurt asks the Professor.

Charles is taking a few laboured breaths. "I don't know. The voices are quieter now but we don't know the long term effect of Magneto's machine upon her," he cautions about celebrating too soon.

Nor could Charles understand why Rogue didn't tell him she had been exposed. He had only learned of it when Clark returned from the concert and told him what he saw in Rogue's mind. How Clark got in there he has no clue.

Logan picks Rogue up and carries his daughter gently in his arms, a feeling of deep worry burns in his chest he can't ever remember feeling. Storm moves next to her boyfriend's side and places a supporting hand on his arm. Actions can speak much louder than words in moments like this.

Meanwhile Beast picks up Clark and Claire and Wanda end up going to his side. The two girls look at each other with frowns as if asking what the other is doing. Neither has actually talked it out yet that one of them is Clark's sister and the other Clark thinks of as a sister. That'll be an interesting day when that talk does come.

Mission complete the X-Men head home, all of them worried about their unconscious teammates.

None of them notices the small black bird perched on top of a streetlamp with extreme sadness in its eyes. Sad yellow eyes from which a solitary tear falls. The tear of a mother whose daughter once again is lost to her.

* * *

**Parker Residence, New York...**

At the Parker Household Peter was of the mind that it seemed to be going well. His aunt and Kitty seemed to get on well enough and as far as he could tell his aunt's demeanour was of genuine warmth.

Although he could have done without the usual embarrassing stories of him growing up his aunt never fails to tell.

They had had dinner and his aunt was just getting desert.

Kitty had managed to relax. Mrs Parker made that easy. There was just something immensely likeable about the woman and as far as she can figure she hasn't done or said anything that would make Peter's aunt dislike her...at least she hopes not. Considering how much she likes Peter she, of course, wants to get on well with his family.

May was just placing the desert out on a plate. She had gone into this with a completely open mind, making certain she was going to judge Kitty on what she was like as a person and not because she was a mutant. Certainly May had questions and concerns about mutants, same as anyone else. She had fewer concerns now after meeting Kitty who was a very sweet girl.

May glances out of the corner of her eye and sees Kitty and Peter chatting away in low voices and you could see the affection between them. One thing that had surprised May was how smart Kitty was. At first when she speaks with this peculiar accent of hers you wouldn't think it but after seeing Kitty follow Peter during one his little science babbles that goes over May's head it becomes clear that Kitty has to be pretty close to being as smart as Peter and May knows Peter is very smart. Gets it from his father.

It is also something else. After Ben died it was like Peter created this barrier around himself that no-one could quite penetrate, not herself, not Gwen, not MJ, not Harry, yet watching her nephew and Kitty now it looks like he may finally be starting to drop that barrier for someone. Perhaps Kitty is the one he will let in.

May concerns herself to finishing preparing desert.

Peter is chatting with Kitty when he freezes mid-sentence and his eyes widen in panic.

"Pete?" Kitty queries.

Peter points at something behind her. Kitty frowns in puzzlement and turns her head. Her mouth hangs agape at what she spots. It is a little purple dragon hovering in the air.

Lockheed flies into the room unnoticed by May. Peter and Kitty desperately try to get him to come to them. He instead ends up directly behind May who chooses that moment to turn round and finds her face inches from Lockheed's.

May screams and is so caught out she stumbles and starts to fall over. Peter leaps out of his chair, not caring if he is moving at an inhuman speed and catches his aunt before she hits her head.

Kitty's face grows angrier. "Lockheed. You get over here now mister!" she orders in a loud voice.

Lockheed plants himself down on the table in front of her and tries a 'doggy-eye' routine.

Kitty folds her arms across her chest. "That look isn't going to like work on me this time," she chides her pet.

May looks at her nephew for an explanation. Peter grins sheepishly. "Yeah. Guess I forgot to mention the part where Kitty has a pet dragon, huh?" he says with a nervous laugh, worried that the whole night might have been blown.

Peter helps his aunt up.

Kitty scoops up Lockheed into her arms. "Mrs Parker, I am like so totally really really sorry. I swear I left him at home," she makes her grovelling apology. "I don't know how he got here," she says at a complete loss.

"Perhaps he flew," May says in a humourless tone.

Kitty rises to her feet and tries to undo the damage. "I'm really sorry, Mrs Parker. Lockheed never meant to scare you. He was just curious. He's like a really sweet guy," she argues and holds him out for Mrs Parker to see that he really is harmless. "Go ahead and pet him," she tentatively suggests.

May, against her better judgement, reaches over and touches her hand to the top of Lockheed's head. In response his long tongue flicks out and gives May's hand a lick. Her anger lessens and she can see that despite the oddity Lockheed really did have a curious gentle expression. "Is...is he really a dragon?" she asks, almost unable to believe she just asked that.

"As far as we know."

May takes a few moments to gather herself. That was unexpected. She looks at the two teenagers. Kitty is utterly guilt ridden and looks like she is awaiting for the Sword of Damocles to drop on her. Peter has gone to her side and has placed a supportive arm around her, no doubt trying to say it wasn't her fault.

May looks at the two of them. They did look so cute together she had to say. She sighs. She guesses if Peter is going to date a mutant then a few odd...incidents are inevitable. "Well then will he want desert too?" May asks as her way of saying she forgives them.

"He will kinda eat anything," Kitty answers vaguely. Anything being socks, shoes, one of her bras...don't ask.

"I'll say this, Peter. You do make..._interesting _choices," May phrases it for him choosing Kitty.

Peter looks at Kitty cooing to her little dragon, unable to stop smiling at how cute she is. "Yeah I do," he agrees as he plants a kiss on his girlfriend's cheek.

* * *

_Author's Note: Such a naughty little dragon ain't he. Now I can't imagine who it is that is blinding Ruth's vision all of a sudden. Ancient, powerful, rising soon...nope I'm stumped. From the moment I started writing this I knew I would have Clark journey inside Rogue's mind. Question is now that they've seen inside each other's heads does that help fix their relationship or only make the cracks worse? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the wrap up of self-possessed as Clark and Rogue recover from their experience and Destiny has some ominous words of warning about the future for Mystique._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**The next morning at the Institute...**

Down in the infirmary Scott wakes up to find he is with the same company he had last night. Clark and Rogue are still unconscious in beds next to him. Mr and Mrs Kent are still at their son's bedside and Logan is still at Rogue's. In fact Scott isn't sure if Logan has even moved a muscle from where he was last night.

Scott had, of course, gotten the whole story of last night when Clark and Rogue had been brought in. It wasn't hard to guess why they were still out. From what he heard Clark had been in contact with Rogue for over a whole minute as she absorbed him. If Clark had been anyone else there is a strong chance he wouldn't have survived such a prolonged contact. As for Rogue Scott doubts he can imagine what her mind went through.

Storm and Claire enter the infirmary each carrying a tray with various drinks and food. Breakfasts in other words. Jean usually brings Scott his. She'll probably be down shortly.

Ororo heads over to Logan and he turns his head and gives her a look.

"Even you need to eat, Logan," she says calmly but firmly.

Logan could argue with her but doesn't. He looks back down at Rogue. "Ro. Am I a bad parent?" he asks her.

Ororo arches a snowy white eyebrow as she places the tray down on the table next to the bed. "Why would you ask that?" she asks him back.

"Cause look at her," he references Rogue, trying to illustrate that her in this condition is a sign he hasn't been a good father.

"Logan, this isn't your fault," Ororo assures him.

"Ain't it? If we were closer maybe she would have told me about what happened at Magneto's."

"She never told Clark either," Ororo points out.

"Why?" Logan asks the very simple question that no-one has been able to answer.

"You can ask her when she wakes up," Ororo responds, trying to emphasise the positive idea that Rogue will wake up. "And to answer your first question; no. You're not a bad parent. If you were you wouldn't have spent the night here. You do care for her a lot don't you."

Logan's brow furrows. He doesn't tend to express his feelings much. "I care for my own."

"Of course you do," Ororo says as if he is stating the obvious. She bends down, places a hand on his shoulder and kisses him on his temple. "And there are many people who care for you. One especially," she whispers in soft loving tones.

Logan glances up at her. He can't really respond to that in words. He instead reaches for her hand on his shoulder and locks their fingers together and squeezes gently. He then turns his attention back to his daughter. "Where's Dom?" he asks since he thought she would be here since she calls Rogue her little sister.

"She'll be down later. The morning rush still has to be dealt with," Ororo defends, in a way, Domino's absence.

Logan understands.

"So still nothin?" Claire asks about Clark as she places her trays down. One each for her mother and Jonathan, as he insists she calls him. They need to eat having spent the whole night here.

"No," Jonathan answers with a sad, weary sigh.

Martha strokes her son' face. "He does have more colour this morning," she has to say. When he was brought home last night he was as pale as a ghost. She wants to see that as a positive.

Claire was having a hard time with her feelings. When the meteor shower struck Smallville she freaked out and cried about how everyone around her dies and now her brother lies there and she doesn't want to think about how close he came to kicking it last night. "Why did he do it?" the words slip from her lips. "He could have died."

Martha looks up at her daughter and sees the anguish. She reaches for Claire's hand and takes a tight grip. "This is what he does, Claire. He saves people even if he has to risk his life to do it. He always puts others before himself," she says with a tinge of pride at him. Don't get her wrong she is completely freaked out she almost lost her son last night.

Jonathan feels a twinge in his heart. This is not the first time Clark has laid on a table like this. It seems so wrong that for all his power and strength his son ends up here more often than Jonathan has.

Claire isn't sure she gets it or can get it. Sure before she went to Frost's she made herself the protector of that run-down slum she was living in but there wasn't anything all that selfless about her acts. She just knew what it was like to be homeless. The fears, the threats and she didn't want anyone else to suffer when she could do something about it. It's not the same though. She never risked her life. She doesn't think it is in her to do so.

Beast and the Professor enter the infirmary. They had been working through the night to try and figure out what had happened to Rogue.

"How are we doing this morning?" Charles asks them all.

Everyone responds with something along the lines of 'fine'.

"What have you found out?" Ororo asks. "How are Rogue and Clark?"

Charles looks to Hank to answer. "Well first off for Clark his body is simply drained. Although, and I don't mean to sound, alarmist, I don't want to think what would have happened to him had he held on much longer. There was some minor damage to his body's cells when I ran the first tests last night although that has repaired itself since."

"Don't feel the need to sugar coat it, Hank," Jonathan requests. As unpleasant as it it is better to know the truth.

"As matter of fact I found the same after his experience with Parasite," Hank tells them.

"That's procrastination," Claire points out. "Just say the shit hard truth, doc."

"Quite," Hank says at Claire's language. "Very well," he accepts telling the truth. "Like we speculated at the time with Parasite if the contact had been maintained long enough it is possible the damage could have become so great to Clark's cells his body couldn't recover."

"He would die," Martha just says it.

"In theory."

"And what about Stripes?" Logan asks.

"That's more complicated," Hank says.

Charles picks up the story. "From what Clark told us he saw from Rogue's memories Magneto's machine was an enhancer like we saw on Asteroid M. It tried to enhance Rogue but if Clark was seeing the memory correctly it seems unlikely Live Wire set it correctly and Rogue's x-gene, as you know, has never worked as it should have. Hank and I's best guess is that it simply took awhile to have an effect."

"I should probably apologise here," Hank says, regretful sounding of a mistake he has made. "Rogue came to see me a couple of days ago about what she claimed were headaches but I never spotted anything wrong with her. I have redone her blood tests from then and have found minute traces of kryptonite in her system that I overlooked before."

"Why only minute?" Scott asks, listening in. "I mean if she was exposed to this kryptonite powered enhancer shouldn't the traces have been bigger," he guesses. He does have personal experience of Magneto's enhancers. Long story. Big mistake on his part.

"The answer lies in her DNA," Charles answers that. "We spent the night running an analysis and found that her x-gene is now bonded with particles of kryptonite. We need to run more tests but it seems likely her power surge last night was the side-effect of her body trying to adjust to this bonding."

"What is it going to do to her?" Logan wants to know.

"That remains to be seen. I am afraid we just have to wait to see the full effects. For the moment her DNA is stable. One thing I can report is that Cerebro now reads Rogue as an enhanced mutant. However convoluted it was it seems Magneto's machine has accomplished what he no doubt designed it for."

Logan looks down at his daughter and has to wonder what it means for her to now be 'enhanced'.

There is then a soft groan from Clark. "Rao, what hit meh?" he asks as his eyes start to flutter open.

"Clark!" Martha cries with massive, overwhelming relief.

Clark's eyes focus in on his mother. "Mom? Where am ah?"

"In the infirmary."

"In tha infirmary?"

"Clark, why are you talking like that?" Jonathan asks, puzzled.

"Talkin lahke what?"

"With a southern accent. You sound like Rogue," Claire explains.

"What? No ah don't," he says with a strikingly strong southern drawl.

Martha, Jonathan and Claire look at the Professor for an explanation.

Charles scratches his head at a loss. "Well Clark was in Rogue's mind for quite some time. It's possible he has subconsciously absorbed her accent," he proposes.

"Ah still have no idea what y'all are talkin' about," Clark says, totally unaware of how he is sounding.

"Seriously? You can't hear yourself?" Claire asks him, unable to believe that.

Clark shifts himself into a sitting position. He makes a quick mental check on himself. Kal is back in his head where he belongs so at least he spares Rogue that 'pleasure' of Kal's cocky voice chatting away constantly. He addresses the issue everyone is on about. "Y'all are makin' no sense," he proclaims.

"He's retarded," Claire just says it. "Rogue drained too much and damaged that melon we call his brain."

"It's so nice ta have family when they're so charmin'," Clark mutters sarcastically.

"Perhaps we should allow Hank to run some tests," Charles suggests, seeing as to how Clark obviously can't hear or recognise that his speech has been altered.

No-one argues with that.

Martha leans over and kisses him on the forehead. "I'm so glad you're alright, honey," she says with relief.

"We all are," Jonathan tells him.

Claire snorts. "Speak for yourself. I was planning to doodle on his face in his sleep," she says with a shit eating grin.

"She likes you really," Martha insists.

"Ah'll believe that when dang pigs fly," Clark responds, his accent as strong as Rogue's.

Yeah. They better let Hank get on with that examination ASAP.

* * *

Up in the kitchen there are a few people. Being a Sunday breakfast is rather more stretched out. Some people don't get up until lunchtime.

Kitty was up feeding Lockheed. She can't believe her pet flew all the way to New York. At least it hadn't seemed to do too much harm to Peter's aunt's impression of her. Peter's aunt was a lovely and understanding woman.

Kitty also can't believe what she missed here. She hoped Rogue would be ok. It burned in her gut, worry about her friend. She would go visit Rogue shortly if Mr McCoy allowed it.

Kitty's eyes look up as Chloe enters. With everything that happened they hadn't sorted out how Chloe was getting home yet. "Morning, Chloe!"

"Morning, Kitty," Chloe says with a rather subdued tone. She was worried about Clark. Chloe pauses and looks at the little purple creature in Kitty's arms. Chloe had met Lockheed yesterday, yet her brain still can't quite fathom that a little purple dragon is real. It makes no sense. She's a reporter. Her eyes see the dragon yet it will not register in her brain.

"So did you like have a nice time...you know before it all totally went crazy?" Kitty wonders.

"Yeah. It was pretty nice, actually," Chloe must admit. She had been having a good time up until the whole thing with Rogue kicked off. "What about you?"

"It was going great until this little naughty mister showed up," Kitty says, gesturing at Lockheed.

"What?" Chloe asks confused.

"Lockheed slipped out and like flew to New York and I don't know how he did it but he showed up at Peter's house when we were about to have dessert," she explains. "Don't give me that look, buster. You're still in trouble," Kitty tells Lockheed off as he breaks out his 'puppy dogs' eyes on her again.

Chloe chuckles. It was ridiculous. Therefore in the face of the absurd all you can do is laugh.

* * *

Slightly later that morning the Professor is attending to one piece of business that he had been forced to leave over from last night by Rogue's urgent need. Ruth.

Right now he was simply saying his farewells to Ruth and her aunt outside the main entrance as their taxi was here for them.

"I want to thank you letting us stay the night," Ruth's aunt Carol says with gratitude.

"That is no problem. I apologise for delaying your return home," the Professor says in return.

"I wasn't really looking to travel home that late anyway," Carol says to show that in the end it all worked out.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" the Professor asks Ruth and Carol. He was disappointed Ruth wanted to leave.

Carol looks down at Ruth who remains silent. Carol looks back up at the Professor. "It is what she wants," is all she can say.

"I understand. If you need anything you have my number," he says to them to call him at any time if there is an issue.

"Thank you," Carol says and then shepherds Ruth into the back of the taxi. Before she goes she raises one last issue with the Professor. "Ruth, last night, after you left. She said that someone, he, was blocking her vision. Someone ancient and powerful that was rising. I don't know what it means but I thought I would let you know."

Charles brow furrows into a deep knot. "Thank you."

Carol smiles. "Thank you for returning Ruth to me. Goodbye Professor," she says extending her hand.

Charles takes it and shakes her hand. Carol gets into the taxi and the Professor watches it leave. He stays and stares into the distance thinking over Carol's message. To block Ruth's visions would require it to be something of immense, almost unimaginable levels of power. What was it that was rising?

* * *

Outside the Institute's wall Carol and Ruth's taxi cab passes a limo with blacked out windows parked to the side.

Within the car sit Mystique and Destiny. Mystique notices Destiny watch the cab go by with an odd look of...sadness?

"What do your visions show you, Irene?" Mystique asks. "Is Rogue back in our future?" she wants to know. It was Irene that put Rogue in Mystique's life in the first place. It was Irene who sent her to that orphanage saying Rogue was vital to the all their futures. Not just Mystique's. The future of mutantkind as a whole.

"She is," Irene confirms. "But now a great darkness looms on the horizon enshrouding you both," she says with some foreboding.

"What kind of darkness?"

"An ancient mutant will rise to once again walk the Earth." Destiny removes the shaded glasses off her face and turns her clouded blind eyes to look at Mystique. "Your fates, both yours and Rogue's, lie in his hands."

"Who?" Mystique asks.

"His name I cannot see."

"What will happen to us?"

"I cannot see. He will not let me."

"He's blocking you?" Mystique says indignantly as that idea seemed so preposterous.

"His power, his darkness will stain the land. In the face of it even the light of the Star Child will be dimmed."

"I don't understand. When you sent me to find Rogue it was because you said you had a vision of her importance to our kind's future."

"I remember and it was true when I said it." Irene shakes her head. "You don't understand Raven. This mutant, he clouds everything. Everything is in flux. I cannot see the outcome for any of us. He will change everything. Nothing is certain any more. No-one's fate is safe from him."

"So Rogue and I could die?"

"The whole world might die. I can see tiny flashes. Millions dying in agony. I'm sorry Raven. I can't tell you what to do. Not this time."

"Can you offer any hope?"

Irene slips her shades back on. "Just this one. Rogue will recover from today and she will possess a strength she never imagined."

Mystique wonders what that means. She wonders what any of it means. How can she make choices about her life when Irene can't offer the guidance she had made so many of them off. "What do I do?" she asks at a whisper.

"For now the only thing you can do. Continue on with what you were doing before until he sends his servant for you."

"What?"

"I told you. I can see tiny flashes. You're important to this mutant. I can sense that. So much so he will send his servant for you. I don't know when this will be so all you can do for now is carry on as you were."

"And then?"

"You do what I always tell you to do. You make up your own damn mind."

"That's not very helpful, Irene."

"It's the best I can do. Until this storm passes and my vision clears I will not be able to guide you any further. I do, however, have one last favour to ask of you."

"You need only ask, Irene. You know that," Mystique assures her old friend.

"Then there is somewhere I need you to accompany me to."

* * *

**Later that morning...**

Rogue slowly awakens and her eyes spot the white tiles of the infirmary ceiling. Her mind feels surprisingly calmed and ordered as last night's events trickle into her consciousness. Then she remembers what she learned about Mystique.

"Hey kid. How ya doing?"

Rogue's head rolls to her left to find Logan sitting there. "Logan?"

Logan looks at her with a gentle gaze. "Yeah. Finally finished that beauty sleep, eh. Well I guess you do need it," he teases.

Rogue scowls at him. "Y'all are tha worse parent evah."

Logan grins a little and he helps Rogue sit up. "So how are you?"

"Ah'm feelin ok actually," she says, her tone showing her own surprise at this fact.

"Perhaps I should judge that," Hank interjects as he enters from his little office, having heard Rogue's awakening.

"What happened ta meh?" she asks.

"We have a theory on that. I'm not sure you'll like it though."

"So what else is new," Rogue says with a grinding inevitability that she won't like it.

"Welcome back ta tha world of tha livin!" a voice from the other side of the infirmary greets her in a strong southern accent.

Rogue looks in that direction to spot Clark lying there. "Clark."

"Afraid so, sugah."

"Why tha hell are ya talkin lahke that?"

"It seems Clark has subconsciously absorbed your accent after your prolonged contact last night," Hank informs her.

"You're kiddin meh?!"

"Afraid not," Logan tells her.

"I'm hopeful it's temporary," Hank hedges a bet. Apart from that there is really not much else wrong with Clark beyond being drained dangerously close to death.

"We're all hopeful it's temporary," Scott pipes in.

"Well y'all are just a barrel of laughs, ain't ya," Clark complains with a Rogue-esque scowl as he folds his arms across his chest. His parents weren't here since Clark had managed to talk them into catching 40 winks after they stayed up all night.

Rogue snorts out a laugh. It's funny. Despite everything...new she learned from absorbing Clark last night it can still be considered funny. Although that thought does sober her. If she thought they had problems before they definitely do now. When she gets a chance to confront Clark about his secrets...that's not going to be fun. She doesn't remember every little thing but enough to know that their relationship is a bigger mess than she thought it was. She turns her focus back on herself "So what did happen ta meh?"

"It involves Magneto's enhancer," Hank tells her.

"And we will be talkin about why ya never mentioned that, Stripes," Logan warns her sternly.

Rogue plays with her white bangs a little. It looks like she may have serious 'splainin to do.

* * *

Up in the one of the sitting rooms many of the students are just having a lazy lay about Sunday. It's too cold to want to go out anyway.

Tabby is still in her nightwear of short shorts and one of Sam's t-shirts...although when she 'borrowed' that Sam can't figure out.

What is more on Sam's mind is the oddly deeply contemplative expression on Tabby's face this morning as she does her normal listening to her music routine. He pulls out one of her earphones so she can hear him. "What's tha matter?" he asks.

"Hmm?" Tabby replies as she twirls a lock of her hair around her finger.

"Ah asked what's tha matter. Ya seemed a little lost in thought."

"Just thinking about last night."

"Yeah. That was...something," he says as he remembers back on being _propositioned _by Alison Blaire. He thinks he managed to refuse without being too offensive.

"It was what Rogue said...or what she said when she was Clark at the end. About him keeping secrets from her," Tabby explains what has her deep in thought this morning.

"Can we really trust anything she said. Ah don't mean ta be offensive but she was out of her mind."

"True," Tabby agrees. "But you see I've made a connection," she begins to explain.

"Ho boy," Sam says not relishing this.

"What?" Tabby asks, miffed at her boyfriend's reaction.

"Again no offence, but your brain can make awful strange leaps of logic."

"How is that an offence? It's one of my best qualities," Tabby proclaims proudly with a smirk. "But no just hear me out."

Sam briefly looks to the heavens. "Ok. What have ya got?"

"Remember when Clark told you to save Dazzler?"

"Yeah," Sam says not seeing what Tabby is.

"Remember his exact words. They were 'Sam! Get Ali!'"

"Sorry. Not seeing it," Sam apologises for still not getting what Tabby is driving at.

"It wasn't 'Get Ms Blaire' or 'Get Dazzler' or even 'Get Alison'. It was 'Get Ali'. He used the informal familiar version of her name."

Sam looks at Tabby oddly.

"What?" she asks at the look she is getting.

"The informal familiar version of her name?" Sam queries wondering when Tabby paid enough attention in class to even know what that meant.

"Hey! I listen!" Tabby protests, making a small hurt look.

"Ok. Sorry. Ah'm sorry," Sam apologises and gives her a small kiss. "Anything ah can do ta make it up ta ya."

Tabby grins salaciously. "Later," she promises but she's too involved in her theory right now. "So anyway back to last night, you know what that must mean."

"Not really."

"Clark must know her."

"Ok ah know ah'm repeating myself but no offence here Tabby but ah can't see how that's possible. Clark doesn't like that sort of music. He only went to the concert because of Rogue."

"Which brings us to the keeping secrets part I mentioned at the start."

Sam can't believe he is thinking this but Tabby may actually be making some sense...assuming Clark is keeping secrets. "Ah guess you'll just have ta ask him Tabby."

"I will...and wait. Are you agreeing with me?" Tabby asks, surprised about that. It's usually at this point someone tries to tear her argument down.

"Ah'm agreeing that what you're saying may be possible."

"Is that a yes?"

"If ya want," Sam just lets her think what she wants.

"Thanks Sammy," Tabby says with a big smile at the fact he is agreeing with her. She then proceeds to sit herself down on his lap with them face to face and her arms wrapped around his neck.

With the fact she is wearing so little Sam can say she definitely has an effect on him.

"Now you did say something about making it up to me," she reminds him with a certain glint in her eye.

"Did ah?" Sam feigns ignorance as his hands comes to rest on his girlfriend's hips.

"Yeah you did. Now cough up farmboy," Tabby demands payment.

Sam grins and leans forward capturing her lips and making it up her by making out with her.

* * *

"Well now you're looking a lot better," Domino declares Rogue to be as she enters the infirmary.

"Ah'm feelin fahne," Rogue insists. It may sound crazy considering what she suffered but she does feel ok.

"Physically, perhaps," the Professor cautions. He had been informed that Rogue was awake and had come down to check on her mental state. "But that is most likely because you absorbed a great deal of Clark's power last night," he explains how physically she is in good shape. Clark's powers would have healed her. Emotionally he suspected she was a lot more fragile than she was letting on.

"Y'all are welcome," Clark says from the other side of the room, sounding a little stroppy.

"Oh good god, are you still talking like that," Domino complains about Clark.

"Ah ain't feelin tha love, Dom," Clark says with Rogue's sarcastic flare.

Domino looks to Martha and Jonathan who were back at their son's bedside. They shrug. They have no answer to give. She turns her attention back to Rogue and smirks a little at the fact Logan is still here. And people say he has no heart. "So what's happening?" she wonders.

"I was just explaining to Rogue about the nature of her altered x-gene," the Professor answers.

"Yeah. About that. Is she going to be alright?" Dom asks, worried for Rogue.

"For now it appears to be stable. As for precisely how it has enhanced Rogue's powers that will require testing."

"Oh goodie," Rogue says sarcastically with zero enthusiasm for more tests even if she knows it's vital she knows what is going on with her.

"You're not in a position to complain, Stripes. I forgot is not a valid excuse for not telling us what Live Wire did to ya," Logan tells her about what she came up with for not telling them what happened at Magneto's base.

"On this rare occasion I have to agree with Logan," Domino says. "You should have told us," she says it bluntly to Rogue, being a little disappointed in Rogue's decision making.

"Ah know. Ah'm sorry...but ah really did think nothing had happened," Rogue makes her weak defence.

"In that vein of being honest Rogue tell us about why Mystique was there," the Professor requests.

"D-didn't Clark tell ya?" she asks. "He was in mah head."

"Clark has chosen to keep that private."

"Ain't mah story ta tell!" Clark chips in from across the room because he knows from what he saw how personal it was. He also now knows Rogue's mind well enough to know their relationship is a big mess.

Rogue looks down at her bed sheet as her hand brushes some imaginary dirt away. "It's...complicated," she procrastinates, unsure how to tell it.

"There is no rush, Rogue," the Professor says, not wishing to push her too hard.

Rogue sighs. "No. Ya need ta know. So do othah people...but for now can it just beh Logan, Dom and ah guess you should know as well Professor."

"Very well. We'll retire somewhere private," the Professor accepts her request.

"And ya may want ta remove anything breakable," Rogue suggests because she knows Logan will not take this well.

* * *

**A cemetery in New Jersey...**

That night two figures stand in the cemetery wrapped in several layers to stave off the cold. They stand in front of a particular grave.

Kathy Aldine.

"I should never have left," Irene says as she wipes a tear from under her shades as she stands at her daughter's grave.

Mystique, in one of her human guises, a nondescript woman with brown hair, places a supporting hand on her old friend's shoulder. "You did what you had to," she assures Irene.

"Did I? Carol hates me. They both did."

"And if you stayed you would be standing in front of both their graves right now. Kathy would never have lived as long as she did...unless you're saying your vision was wrong," Mystique queries. Irene left because she had to. She had a vision in which she saw her daughters die if she had stayed any longer. Mystique knows it was a terrible choice for Irene to make but equally it was the right one.

"My visions are never wrong, Raven. Only the way they are interpreted...but they're my daughters," she says with pain filled tones, deeply regretful she had to leave them.

"You did what I would have done. Whatever it took to protect them."

"Then why didn't I foresee Kathy's death?" Irene asks Mystique...asks God...asks anyone for an answer. She never saw it. She didn't find out until after it had already happened and Kathy was already buried.

"You can't see everything, Irene," Mystique tries to ease her friend's grief and guilt.

"My own grandson..." Irene says with an unbelieving shake of her head at who was responsible for her daughter's death.

"Got what he deserved from what I know," Mystique, being a little harsh at this sensitive moment but she did some investigating into Kathy's death for Irene and found out what a little bastard Luca was.

Irene sniffles.

"And your granddaughter is alive," Mystique tries to find a positive.

"But I can never see her. Like with Carol I have to stay away forever," Irene says with anguish at that thought.

"Maybe not," Mystique raises the possibility. "As you said everything is in flux. When this storm passes perhaps it will have changed."

"I never thought of that," Irene confesses, a glimmer of hope in her eye that perhaps Mystique is correct.

"That's why you have me. Sometimes my vision is better than yours."

Irene manages a small smile before walking forward up to the tombstone, bending down and kissing the cold stone on the top of it. "Forgive me Kathy," she says. "I will always love you."

* * *

**Bayville...**

Alison Blaire hugs her thick jacket to herself as she packs up her things into her car, ready to move on to her next gig. This waste of a town has had enough of being blessed with her presence. She grabs a cigarette, lights it and puffs on it. She lets out an audible sigh as the nicotine hits her bloodstream. Now where's that damn bottle of scotch?

"Ms Blaire?"

Alison spins on the spot her finger pointed and alight with light ready to laser whatever jackass loser had the lack of braincells to sneak up on her. Her fortitude wavers when she spots it is a bald guy in a wheelchair. "Something I can help you with pops?"

Charles smiles lightly. "Forgive me for startling you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Charles Xavier."

"I do watch the news...now and again," Ali says to show that she does know who he is.

"Then I will get straight to the point. I know you're a mutant Ms Blaire."

Ali's body tenses. "And so what? You goin to expose me? Ruin my career? Cause I tell you you even try and I'll blast your stupid slappyhead off your shoulders," she snarls with extreme hostility.

Charles remains calm. He can of course use his powers to make her sit down and listen to him but he doesn't. "I have no intention of exposing your secrets Ms Blaire. I only ask you allow me to say my piece and then I shall leave."

Ali eyes him warily wondering what his game is. "I don't have all night," she says impatiently, giving her permission.

The Professor makes his pitch by starting with giving her praise and feeding her ego a little. "You have many remarkable talents Ms Blaire."

"Tell me something I don't know," Ali boasts.

"I want to consider you coming to my Institute where we can teach you to discover just how talented you truly are and to use your gifts to aid mutantkind."

"I must admit no-one has used that pick-up line on me before."

"I want you to join my X-Men."

Ali blinks...and then doubles over with laughter. "No offence here but fuck no!" she refuses as she gasps for breath and brings her laughter back under control.

Charles, having to live with Volcana, lets the profanity slide. "May I ask why not?" he inquires for her reasons to see if there is a way round them.

"I don't want to be part of some team of pansy losers. I just want to be a rock star," Ali gives her basically sole life's ambition.

"I see. That's your final decision?"

"Yeah."

Charles can sense that she means that...at least at this precise moment in her life she does. "Then I accept it and will leave you in peace. However, if you are ever in need of a place to...I believe the term is crash, then a bed and a hot meal is available to you at my Institute."

"Why the hell would you think I need some place to crash?"

Charles spots the trunk of her car open and inside is a mattress indicating she is living in her car. "I can't possibly imagine," he says dryly. "Goodnight Ms Blaire."

"Do you need me to show you to the door?" she smart-mouths.

"No. Thank you. I think I'll manage," the Professor says as he turns and leaves. He is disappointed but he had to try after hearing about the fact Alison Blaire was a mutant. He did a scan on her with Cerebro and she did possess a remarkable gift. In fact he thinks she possibly doesn't fully understand the entire depth of her power. Oh well. He can hope she will take up his offer of a place to crash and he can try and persuade her to change her mind.

Ali finds her bottle of scotch, unscrews the lid and takes a large swig.

"That can't be healthy."

Ali rolls her eyes. What is this? Annoy Ali night? She turns to find a blond woman dressed in a long, white, fur-lined coat. Ali walks right up to the woman and... "BUURRRPPP!" right in the woman's face.

The woman's eyelids flutter at the truly revolting breath. They're almost watering.

"So pimp or hooker?" Ali asks about who the woman is.

The woman's snowy blue eyes narrow in annoyance. "Neither."

"Your clothes say otherwise."

The woman frowns. Her clothes can't be seen under her coat. She then snaps herself out of it. She has allowed the Blaire girl to get the advantage on her. Holy unprofessional. "My name is Emma Frost and I have a proposition for you."

"You're not my type," Ali quips with a smirk.

"Cute," Emma replies dryly.

"I'm not sure anyone has ever called me that...no wait there was this guy a couple of summers back but he was hot enough to get away with it. You are not."

"I'm sure I'll find a way to live with that scathing let down," Emma sarcastically remarks.

"I'm sure you're use to them," Ali smirks.

"Quite. Now how about we get to business?"

"We don't have any business."

"I have a team..."

Ali holds her hand up stopping Emma right there. "Nope. Not a chance. Like I told the other guy all I want is to be a rock star. So if you'll excuse me I've got a career to get back to." She then turns her back and heads for her car.

"Multi-year, multi-million dollar recording contract," Emma says and Ali screeches to a halt.

"I have a recording contract," Ali points out.

"Of course you do. That's why you live in your car," Emma makes the scathingly cutting remark.

Ali turns, her face darkened in anger. "I do!" she insists vehemently.

"That your father signed because you were only 15 at the time and he gets all the money from it. Hardly fair is it Alison? You do all the work and he gets all your money. I guess that would be why you haven't spoken to him in a year."

"2 years," Ali corrects. "But whose counting," she says and her bitterness and anger at her father slips into her tone.

"Your contract expires at the end of the month and you haven't been offered a new one," Emma points out showing how she went into this meeting well prepared.

"They will," Ali insists in blind hope more than everything.

"You're not stupid Alison. If they were going to they would have started the negotiations by now. You're being dropped," Emma lays out the truth of the situation.

Ali shrugs. "Their loss."

"And my gain."

"What do you want?" Ali asks, because she just feels there is something more than this. People like this tarted up blond in front of her don't do things out of the generosity of their hearts.

"To help you Alison. Amongst other things my company has an entertainment and music division. I can give you everything your heart desires."

"And in return?"

"As I said I have a team."

"Do I look like a team player?"

"It's not like Xavier's."

"No shit. I could have never guessed that from the fact I ain't ever heard of you."

"All I ask Alison, in return for my generosity, is you aid my team."

"I don't know," Ali struggles to decide. On one hand it's a recording contract. On the other it's some dumb team shit thing she doesn't want anything to do with.

"Did I mention you also get your own room, bed and all meals."

"I want to see this contract," Ali demands.

"I thought you might." And Emma pulls it out from one of her deep pockets and hands it over. She never goes into a meeting unprepared. She always makes sure she is the one in charge of the conversation. She knows more about Alison than Alison knows about herself.

Ali skims through the contract. Seems legit. "Got a pen?"

Emma reaches into her inner pocket and pulls out a very expensive pen.

Ali takes the pen, signs on the dotted line and adds her own personal stamp by spitting on it. "There. Done and dusted."

Emma is trying so hard not to make a face at the spitting. This is part of her preparing her defence for when the Lord Imperial comes to town. He's coming personally to investigate the 'débâcle' involving Superman and the X-Men. Therefore Emma must prove the continued usefulness of her team to the aims of the Inner Circle and that means compensating for losing Volcana and Tarot. It's a complete coincidence she is here the same night as Xavier. At least she knew he would never offer the girl what she really wanted. Emma, on the other hand, is not above bribery. She holds her hand out and Ali takes it. "Welcome to the Hellions, Alison."

* * *

_Author's Note: I thought it funny to give Clark Rogue's accent for a short time. I didn't want Irene to come across as someone heartless who just abandoned her children for no good reason even if I keep those reasons vague. And so Emma returns and she's bribed Ali into joining her team. That'll be fun for all. Speaking of Ali is Tabby right? Has Clark somehow met her before? Stay tuned for the definite answer. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Rogue learns about one aspect of her enhancement while her and Clark's relationship reaches the critical point._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Early Monday morning and Domino enters the infirmary to check up on Rogue. They still weren't allowing her sister out until they were absolutely sure she wouldn't relapse. There was a lot they didn't know about kryptonite or its mutational effects. There was also the Professor's concern that Rogue was emotionally more fragile than she was letting on.

Rogue would have gone crazy with boredom if it weren't for Dom herself visiting and Wanda as well. Wanda had stuck around and it was actually pretty nice to see the two girls, who for so long hadn't gotten along, seemed to have a half-decent friendship going now.

Oddly Clark hadn't been down much since he was let out. Domino wasn't sure what had happened but there seemed to be now more of a divide between Rogue and Clark than ever. Neither had said anything. It was just something you sensed in the atmosphere.

Domino comes to a stop when she sees Kurt sitting by Rogue's bed and the two involved in a serious conversation. Looks like she is telling him what she told them yesterday about Mystique.

Un-freakin-believable!

Logan had nearly stormed off threatening to skin the blue mutant alive in reaction. They did manage to persuade him off from doing that but they did almost have to rebuild the Danger Room...again!

Rogue finishes telling Kurt everything and waits for his reaction. She hadn't been sure she wanted anyone to know she was related to Mystique. Hell part of her didn't want it to be true but another part of her knew Kurt deserved to know the truth. She thinks it may be a part she got from absorbing Clark because this doesn't seem like her at all.

But as unpleasant a truth as it may be that does make Kurt her family...in a way.

Kurt was sitting there looking like someone had kicked him in the gut and was dazed. He couldn't believe it. All this time he had a sister...another sister, living under the same roof as him and he never knew it nor of the connection they had. This was a lot to take in.

Rogue starts playing with her white bangs as her impatience grows.

"You're making her nervous, blue," Dom says softly.

Kurt jumps at the surprise entrance. "Oh sorry. It is just...man all this time..."

"Ah know," Rogue says in understanding.

Then Kurt starts to smile. "Vell I alvays vanted a big family."

"Kurt...ah'm not asking anything of ya."

Kurt reaches out and touches Rogue's clothed shoulder. "But I vant to be part of your family."

"You sure about that?" Dom asks him. "That means dealing with our quote father end quote," she warns him.

"It also means you have to deal vith mein family. Remember Mystique adopted Haze," Kurt reminds them.

Rogue groans. Alicia was a colossal pain in the butt.

"Forgot about that huh?" Domino asks, amused.

"Somehow yeah...but Kurt it's not just Logan. Dom and ah have a whole twisted family of Stryker's experiments out there somewhere," Rogue cautions.

"Rogue it doesn't matter. Ve're family. You're mein sister. I...never had anyvone but my parents growing up. Zhey could never have children of their own. I vas zheir miracle child. I vant us to be a family," Kurt says very sincerely.

"Ya really vant a sister lahke meh in your life?" Rogue asks, just to be sure.

"Ja. I vant it. That ok vith you...sis?"

Rogue blinks back tears. It is still a hard concept for her to think she actually has a family...and one that is seemingly getting bigger all the time. She did always think of Kurt as an annoying little brother and now he literally was even if it was only a technicality due to her being adopted by Mystique. While it was another addition to her messed up family, at least Kurt is someone she likes. "Ah guess we could give it a go...bro," she says with a small smile.

"Aw! We're all one big happy happy family! Group hug!" Dom declares as she steps forward and wraps her arms around both Kurt and Rogue and pulls them into a hug.

"Still want ta beh part of mah family?" Rogue grumbles as she gets crushed.

"Course he does," Domino answers for Kurt. "After all who wouldn't want to be in a family that includes me!" she boasts at her own awesomeness.

"I'll get back to you," Kurt jokes.

"Dom will ya beh careful," Rogue warns because she is in serious danger of touching someone with her bare skin.

"Fine. Fine. I was just indulging in a little family bonding," Dom faux huffs. She lets go but her bare hand skims across Rogue's neck. Domino jerks her hand back in automatic reaction until she realises something. She looks at Rogue and can see the younger girl has realised the same thing.

"Did ya touch meh?" Rogue asks.

Domino nods slowly.

"Vhat?" Kurt asks, completely lost,

"Nothing happened," Domino reports.

"Nothing as in..." Kurt queries.

"Ah didn't absorb her," Rogue answers, flabbergasted by the shock.

"Take a glove off," Domino says.

Rogue does so.

"Take my hand," Domino says as she offers her hand out to Rogue.

Rogue is nervous and cautious but she raises her bare hand to almost touch Dom's. Domino takes the decision out of her hands and grabs the hand in a firm grip and holds it for a long time. Domino cracks an eye open. She had closed them in preparation for the worse. "Anything?" she asks Rogue.

"No," Rogue says in a whisper.

"Vhat is going on?" Kurt wonders.

"I'll get furball," Domino volunteers to go find Beast and departs to do so.

"I'll just lie here and pretend I don't exist," Scott grumbles in complaint at being ignored.

"Oh shut it!" Dom orders him as she walks by the bed.

Rogue meanwhile looks at her bare hand and wonders what is going on with her now.

* * *

"Knock, knock," Chloe says as she knocks on Clark's door. She finds him sitting by his window in his classic brooding pose.

"Hey Chlo," he replies softly. "Still not managed to arrange to get you home huh?" he asks with a small wry grin...and with his more normal accent. He had finally lost his southern drawl although the odd 'y'all' kept slipping in now and again.

"I'm going back later with the next team heading to Smallville to help with the rebuild," she explains how she is getting home. "Besides, I'm not complaining about getting to spend time with you guys."

"You mean spend time with Bobby," Clark corrects her. Although don't expect him to get it.

"There's that too," Chloe will confess and her cheeks warm nicely when she thinks of Bobby. "Although I have to ask what is it between him and your sister," she wants to know having seen over a day of Bobby and Claire's interactions.

Clark shrugs. "They've always been like that since the day Claire got here. I think Marie said she thought it was a fire and ice thing."

"That's a good explanation as any I guess," she says as she ventures deeper into Clark's room and sits herself down on his bed. She looks around his room and notices how much more openly there are things with Kryptonian symbols on them in drawings and sketches he has pinned up on his walls. She guesses he always hid it away when he lived in Smallville but that coming here has allowed him to embrace that side of himself. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Body's recharged and I'm back to normal," Clark gives her his current state of health. Although Mr McCoy, the Professor and his parents insisted on him taking one more day easy so he is missing school.

"That's good. So...we should talk about how we deal with the Prince of Darkness now he's free again," she points out in reference to Lionel.

Clark looks at her blankly for a moment. "I forgot about that," he confesses.

"Really?"

"Sorry. Other stuff on my mind."

"Yeah. I figured. I recognise the full on Clark mope-a-thon you have going. So anything in particular bothering you?"

"Lots of things. How's Lois?"

"Fine," Chloe says a little perplexed about why he is asking about her cousin when they grated on each other. Then she figures it out. "You want to know about what she is going to do after seeing the ship and your two fellow Kryptonians."

"It's selfish I know," Clark berates himself a little for being so selfish when Lois went through an ordeal.

"No. It's not. It's wanting to protect yourself and your family," Chloe understands before explaining Lois' thinking at the moment. "She isn't happy the truth has been buried. She is determined to expose it but I don't think she'll get very far. With the ship gone it's not too hard for the military to cover it up convincingly. I'll keep an eye on her."

"Thank you Chloe. I'm sorry you have to do that."

"It's the price you pay for being your friend and one I'm willing to pay."

"Thanks. So y'all got any ideas on Lionel?" he asks. Note the slipped in 'y'all'.

"A few...and keeping a close eye on Lex won't hurt."

"You think Lionel will try and get back at Lex?"

"Possibly...but maybe not the direct way. Lex took the ruins of Lionel's company from under him and renamed it after himself. I wouldn't rule out Lionel trying to get back at Lex by damaging if not ruining Lexcorp in some way. If he does he creates a trail to follow. You got any ideas?"

"A few. I have a few sources."

Chloe grins. "Turning into quite the littler reporter aren't we," she lightly teases.

Clark shrugs. So he's developed a few reporter habits. "I guess the first thing we need to learn is how he actually escaped. He can't have done it alone. He must have had some outside help."

"And some inside as well I'm thinking. Otherwise I don't see how he overcame SHIELD's security systems," Chloe expresses her opinion.

"I'm starting to rethink over my promise to Colonel Fury not to say I told him so," Clark mentions. He told Fury shortly after Lionel had been released from prison that this would bite them all on the behind and then promised he wouldn't say 'I told you so' when it all blew up which it now has.

"You have my 100% support on this occasion to go back on your word. I think you would be perfectly justified," Chloe says, managing to sound completely serious about it.

"Thanks...but I feel it important to keep my word."

"Of course you do," Chloe says like it is the most obvious thing in the world to say about Clark.

"I'm not sure Rogue will agree."

"Why...is this to do with what happened?"

Clark nods.

"What did happen?" Chloe wonders, offering herself to be his sounding board if he wants to talk about it.

"I can't say...at least not until I talk to her first but what I will say is that whoever thinks it is a good idea to know what goes through your girlfriend's mind is completely mistaken," Clark says with a very sad expression.

* * *

So here Rogue was, being run through a whole series of tests...again to try and figure out what was going on with her powers. They had taken more blood...she was starting to think Beast and the Professor were closet vampires considering how much damn blood they kept taking from her.

Then they had decided to run her through a physical check-up. _'Note ta self. Don't keep insisting y'all are fahne when th__a__ prospect of a physical is available,' _Rogue mentally stores for future reference.

Right now Rogue was dressed in her workout clothes running on the treadmill.

"How are you feeling Rogue?" Beast asks her as he times her on a rather old fashioned analogue stopwatch.

"Fahne."

"Not tried?"

"Not really. Is there a problem?"

"No. In fact your results are in line with your last physical. There hasn't been any physical enhancement...at least no significant one I can detect."

"So is it just her powers?" Logan asks. When he heard what had happened her felt he had to be here. Domino had stuck around too. Kurt had had to go to school by now even if he wanted to stay.

"We'll need to discuss that with Charles," Hank tell them as the Professor had been examining the latest tests on Rogue's x-gene while Hank performed the physical. He saves Rogue's bio-readings for future reference before the small group head back to the medical ward where they find the Professor intensely studying Rogue's genome.

"So what in the blue hell is going on with my little sister?" Domino demands to know.

Charles looks up at her and quirks an eyebrow at her passion.

Domino stares him back.

Charles sits up straight in his wheelchair and clears his throat. "Well to put it simply the kryptonite enhancement has seemingly fixed Rogue's powers."

"What do ya mean, fixed?" Rogue asks, her expression one of deep uncertainty whether she will like this.

"It can be said, Rogue, that your powers were broken which is why you could never control them."

"But now she can?" Logan asks.

"That seems to be the case," Charles confirms.

Rogue was having a hard time with this sinking in. For so long it was her dream to gain control over her abilities but had come to accept that most likely it was never going to happen. "Ah can control them? Really control them?" she asks.

"Yes. We will obviously need to practice so you can learn what the trigger is to activate them and learn of the full effect of your enhancement but I see no reason why you can't learn to possess complete control."

Rogue isn't sure how to react. She guesses she should be jumping up and down squealing with happiness but she never expected to ever be at this moment so she just is standing there too stunned to react. She looks to Domino who has the biggest Cheshire grin possible to show how happy she is for Rogue.

"You deserve this, kid," Logan says, his voice surprisingly soft and full of care. He genuinely did believe that.

"Don't call meh kid," Rogue tells him off with a scowl.

"Oh ignore him," Domino advises as she places an arm around Rogue's shoulders. "Now we should go celebrate!" she cheers.

Rogue starts to smile. "Yeah. We should," she agrees. For so long her life has been one hardship after another. She should celebrate something good happening to her for a change. "Oh mah gawd, Dom. Ah can control mah powers!" she squeals as it suddenly sinks in.

Domino chuckles. It was funny to see Rogue act like an excited teenager but it was nice too. It's going to be something to see everyone's face when they tell them when they get back from school.

At this point Scott returns from a trip to the bathroom. He looks puzzled at what is going on. "What did I miss?"

* * *

The reaction of everyone to learning about Rogue's good fortune was what you would expect. They were all happy for her. Kitty had instantly suggested that it was time for a change in Rogue's wardrobe choices and Rogue agreed to a point. She wasn't dropping her Goth look but she only covered so much of herself up because she was forced to.

Assuming this is permanent, the Professor and Beast made some cautious comments about giving it a few days just to be sure, Rogue might start to made a few small changes to her look. She still wants to remain a Goth though.

She could ask Wanda for ideas. They do have similar tastes as it turns out. Rogue is grateful that she and Wanda get along now.

Wanda was still here but Rogue knew she would be leaving this evening to return to Dr Strange's. Rogue guesses Wanda is collecting the few clothes and stuff she had left here. She, therefore, heads to Wanda's old room and indeed she finds the mutant witch in training packing her last belongings. "So leavin' soon, huh?"

Wanda looks up to see Rogue. "Yeah," she says rather flatly. She tends to have conflicting feelings about leaving. "So they're letting you out?" she asks about Rogue's stay in the infirmary seemingly at an end

Rogue shrugs. "Physically ah'm fahne. Just have ta take it easy for a few days."

"And not physically?" Wanda queries.

"Ah'll get there...in tahme," Rogue answers about her emotional state. She wasn't ok but she wasn't having a breakdown or anything either. Rogue spots a what looks like a journal lying on the bed. She twists her head to read what is written on the cover. "Wanda's dream journal?" she inquires.

Wanda grabs the book hastily. "Oh this. It's nothing."

Rogue folds her arms across her chest. "If it's nothing why are ya tryin' ta hide it," she says smartly.

"No. It's really nothing much," Wanda insists. "It's just...I'm a witch."

"Yeah. Ah know this."

"Well witches get visions so Dr Strange says it's important to write my dreams down before I forget them in case I foresee something or other."

"Have ya foreseen anything?"

"Nothing that makes any sense. A bird made of fire. Four horsemen riding towards me. This weird purple energy man."

"Purple energy man?"

"Yeah. A man made from this purple energy. I can't describe it better. I'm not a scientist."

"And is that it?"

"There's more but it's really only fragments. I don't usually remember very much from my dreams and a lot of it is interspersed with my more...unpleasant personal memories," Wanda phrases it as.

"Oh," Rogue says at that last bit. "So are any of these things you see doing anything?" she asks since if it is the future Wanda is seeing then maybe it's something they can head off.

"Not really. The firebird I see flying through space. I can't see the features of the horsemen. I just see them riding towards me and as for the purple energy guy..."

Rogue frowns as Wanda mumbles the last bit. "Did ya just say ya kiss him?" she asks Wanda to clarify her mumbles.

"No! He kisses me!" Wanda insists.

Rogue smirks. "Ah think ya doth protest too much. So who is he? Future boyfriend?"

"Right," Wanda laughs that off. "I'm going to date some sort of energy being. Why don't I just marry a robot while I'm at it," she lays the scorn down on Rogue's idea.

Rogue did suppose that sounded a little silly.

"So how are you doing with learning you can control your powers?" Wanda asks Rogue.

"It's strange. Ah had gotten so use ta tha idea ah was trapped that it's still sinking in," Rogue gives her current state.

Wanda was happy for Rogue. There was a time she never thought she would ever think that. "You're still wearing your gloves," she comments.

"Tha Professor said ta take it cautious for a few days, just ta beh on tha safe side but ah was planning ta make some clothing changes...and ah was hopin', if ya don't mind, ta pick your brain for advice," Rogue finally gets onto the reason she came here in the first place.

"I...um...no. I don't mind," Wanda says although she is a little surprised to be asked. No-one has ever asked her for fashion tips. "So do your enhancements mean you can absorb Clark now?" she wonders.

"Ah did ask tha Professor about that and his best guess is that since ah have been enhanced by kryptonite most probably, yes, ah can...but ah would rather not," she says with a sudden sadness.

"You two still haven't talked, yet?!" Wanda exclaims in some surprise.

"What gives ya that idea?" Rogue says, instantly on the defensive.

"Your tone...and even I could see earlier that something has happened between you two. When you were telling us all about what happened you and Clark avoided each other like the plague."

"When did y'all get so dang nosy?"

"I think it was about 5 minutes after I met Tabby," Wanda jokes with a perfectly straight face.

"Yeah. She has that effect on people," Rogue mutters.

"Look. You're right. I hate it as much as you how people around here stick their noses in...but I thought we were friends now."

"We are."

"Soooo..."

Rogue rubs her brow. "Lets just say that finding out how your boyfriend thinks ain't conducive ta a long, happy relationship."

"What did you see?"

"Enough ta know Clark isn't tha person ah thought he was."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Look...he's still mostly a nice guy. Don't get meh wrong about that. It is just ah saw enough in his head ta do some serious damage ta mah trust in him. Ah ask one simple thing from him. Not ta lie and keep secrets from meh...but he does. A lot of them as it turns out."

"I thought you would be angrier than this," Wanda says in some surprise.

"Oh, ah'm plenty angry," Rogue assures Wanda. She may not be showing it a whole bunch but trust her, she's furious.

"Then you aren't confronting him why?" Wanda asks the obvious question.

"Because ah'm not sure how we fix this this tahme," Rogue says with genuine fear that their relationship is finished and...well that idea...just thinking on the prospect...it hurts. It hurts a lot. That would be why she isn't confronting him.

"Look, I have no right to give relationship advice considering I've never had one but there are only 2 options as far I can see. You keep avoiding each other and resolve nothing in which case I think your relationship is pretty much finished or you talk and try and fix it...or you can't fix it and your relationship is pretty much finished. Sorry. That sounded better in my head," Wanda apologises at the end because her advice sounds kind of sucky now she has said it out-loud.

Rogue sits herself down on the nearby bed and rubs her face, letting out a sad, weary sounding sigh. "Ah don't know what ta do," she confesses in a quiet voice.

Wanda sits down next to her friend. She must admit to not being sure what to say. She has zero experience of relationships. "The only thing I can think of to say is that to be yourself. What does Rogue normally do in this situation?"

"She confronts the problem head-on," Rogue describes what she is like.

"Then I guess that is what you do. Do you want me to stay?" Wanda offers her support.

Rogue shakes her head. "No. Ah know ya and Clark are close. Ah don't want ya caught in tha middle of our problems," she gives that consideration to her friend.

Yeah. Wanda is almost thankful for the let off because this is going to be awkward.

Determination fires up in Rogue's eyes. It's time for her and Clark to have it out, once and for all.

* * *

When there is a knock on Clark's door and he answers it to find Rogue he really isn't all that surprised. "Thought you would be here sooner," he dead-pans.

"Don't get cute Clark!" Rogue fires back instantly. She has worked herself up for a good hour before coming here so she didn't need much to set her off. She marches past him and into the room.

"Please. Come on in," Clark says after the fact. He watches Rogue pace, tensed like a tigress ready to pounce. He slams the door shut. "So is this necessary?"

That makes Rogue stop and look at him harshly. "What do ya mean 'is this necessary'?" she asks him, her tone close to shrill.

"I mean we both know what this is about. True you're a little angrier looking than I imagined you would be."

"How can ya beh so flippant?"

Clark shrugs. "So you know I've been keeping secrets from you."

"A lot of them."

"Because I have to. Because I gave my word to the people involved I would keep their secrets. If I can't do that then my word becomes meaningless."

"And what about tha othah ones outside those?"

"I do what I have to to protect you."

"Lying and keeping secrets only hurt meh. Ya know that! We talked about that...we literally talked about that last week!" Rogue yells at him.

"And I pointed out that you do the same thing."

"Ah keep tellin ya. Tha past is tha past. It doesn't matter."

"Bullshit."

Rogue's eyes widen. "Excuse meh!" she demands to know what he means by that.

"You heard me. It's bullshit," Clark says, his tone hardening a little. "The past defines who you are in the present. No-one can know who you are now unless they know where you come from."

"Ah could say tha same thing about you."

"Yes. You could," Clark accepts.

"Then ya kept things from meh even though ya know mah reaction."

"Pretty much," Clark accepts.

"Could ya show some damn emotion!" Rogue snaps because he is talking in this calm, flat tone and there is no inflection of emotion to show this is affecting him.

"What do you want me to do? Yell? Scream? Lose my temper?"

"Ya could show that this is affecting ya. Ya could show that this is tearing ya apart as much as meh. Ya can stop acting lahke...lahke..."

"An alien?" Clark offers.

Rogue blinks. That simple statement just makes you pause.

"You absorbed me Rogue. You know what I feel...and you also know I cannot afford to lose my temper. If you truly think I'm not hurting as much as you then you really don't know me at all."

"Ah'm not sure ah do anymore."

"And I'm not sure I know you. All I ever asked of you was for you to trust that I love you...which I do."

"Not enough ta not keep secrets from me."

"Well not to sound childish but ditto honey."

If Rogue didn't know how much it would hurt she would slap him.

Clark continues, "And you couldn't do that one single thing I asked you to do because if you did I would know about your past."

"Not ta sound childish but ditto honey," Rogue uses his words back at him. "Ya couldn't do tha one thing ah asked ya ta do...that ah trusted ya ta do and that was beh honest, no secrets, no lies."

"Rogue, I'm not going to shout or yell at you. I just don't have the strength at the minute. I've been pulled, pushed, stretched, manipulated, run ragged, brainwashed and had a whole bunch of other crap happen to me and I've been trying to carry on as if none of those things happened but I can't keep doing that. I could say that we both need space but is anything going to change? I have my secrets to keep and are you going to suddenly open up and tell me yours?"

"No."

"There we've reached the bottom line haven't we. Neither of us prepared to open up that last little bit. You can't trust me and I can't trust you so tell me where does that leave us?"

It's a horrible stark revelation as it strikes her. She doesn't trust him. He doesn't trust her. The fundamental building block of any relationship doesn't exist between them. "It's ovah," she says in a strained whisper as her heart breaks.

"Yes, it is," Clark's voice drops and you can hear his heart break in his tone.

Rogue feels the tears welling up. She can't do that here, in front of him. She has to go. She heads for the exit only to find herself stopped by Clark grabbing her arm.

"If you ever need me for anything, just call," he says, his voice hoarse with repressed emotion.

Rogue nods once.

They don't look at each other.

Clark releases her and she leaves, virtually runs to her room, tears freely rolling down her cheeks.

Clark stands there, his face broken with a hurt and a pain he can't recall ever feeling before. When he broke up with Lana he actually never cried about it. This time he can't seem to stop.

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm such a nice guy, fixing Rogue's powers like that, bringing her and Kurt together, breaking her and Clark up...oops. Scratch that nice guy thing. A lot of people speculated whether Rogue will now get her Ms Marvel like powers after this. What I will say is that there are more side-effects to come and this isn't the end. Purple energy man as Wanda's future boyfriend? Marrying a Robot? Can't imagine where I got those crazy ideas from. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the fallout from Clark and Rogue's break-up._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Early the next morning Claire strides into the kitchen for breakfast. Growing up on the streets had made her a light sleeper. In fact she basically slept with one eye open. It's a habit that has never left her and probably never will. She spots Storm and her mother already up preparing everyone's first meal of the day. Her mother. That's still so weird to her but nice too.

Martha spots her daughter enter in flame coloured pyjamas. Almost everything Claire wears is flame coloured, reds and oranges, or has a flame motif. Claire was seemingly back to her normal self after the painful memories of the 2nd meteor shower but Martha feels that is more a front than anything. She wasn't sure how to reach her daughter because there is so much of Claire's life she doesn't know about.

Oh Sebastian had so much to answer for. Martha was so angry at her ex-fiancé for denying her any knowledge of her daughter for so long.

"Morning, honey," Martha greets Claire.

"Morning. Have a nice night?" Claire asks, since Martha and Jonathan had been given their own break from all this crap and had a night out last night, just the two of them.

"Yes. Thank you," Martha replies. "You seen your brother this morning?" she asks since it is not like Clark not to help.

"You didn't tell her!" Claire cries at Storm since that is the only reason she can think of as to why her mother would ask that question.

Storm slightly cringes. "It was late. I was in bed and I was hoping to break it to her gently," Ororo makes the excuse and she was trying to figure out a way to tell Martha. She knows how deeply her friend cares for her son.

"Break what?" Martha asks, a little miffed at something going on she is obviously suppose to know about.

"Clark and Rogue crashed and burned last night," Claire phrases it as. Yes there is a fire theme to her words.

"On no," Martha says, truly stunned and saddened at hearing such terrible news. For awhile Clark and Rogue had been so happy together. Obviously she knew they had been having problems lately but she didn't think it had gotten this bad.

"Yeah. Apparently finding out how each other thinks doesn't make for a good relationship," Claire tells what she had heard over the mansion grapevine and boy there must be some irony in that.

"Where is Clark?"

"Brooding somewhere. He said he wanted to be alone and went out."

Martha is not surprised by that and she might have an idea where he went. She'll check shortly. "And Rogue?" Martha asks, her care for the Goth girl not lessened any.

"Spent the night in her room crying into her pillow so Marie heard from Kitty."

Martha does feel for Rogue. Break-ups are horrible experiences. She just wonders where it all went wrong. Clark and Rogue had been so sweet together, they seemed right for each other but apparently it wasn't meant to be...well perhaps it's too early to say that without knowing the full details. Perhaps it wasn't beyond repair.

* * *

Being a virtually invulnerable alien has it advantages. For one thing when you need to be alone you can go sit outside all a freezing December night and not worry about hypothermia. The cold also makes it extremely unlikely anyone will choose to hang around with you.

That had left Clark able to sit here, at the end of the jetty at the bottom of the cliff and just be alone with his thoughts...and his pain and his hurt...and Rao did it ever hurt.

Clark's heart is the one part of him that is most definitely not invulnerable. It can be broken just as easily as anyone's.

Clark's eyebrows quirk slightly as he hears the wood behind him creak from the footsteps of someone approaching him. "You know I thought you would be shorter, hairier and a man," he manages to joke slightly as his head turns to find the monochrome figure of Domino walking towards him.

Domino purses her lips and considers her reply. "I think he's off planning something horrific for you," she says in relation to Logan whom she guesses Clark was referring to.

"He has to get past my mom first," Clark points out because no matter what she would never let anyone hurt her precious baby boy...well Clark thinks that is the case.

"You've probably got a point there," Domino concedes.

"Why are you here, Dom?" Clark just asks it.

"As I recall shortly after we first met I warned you not to hurt her," Dom says, feeling genuine anger for her sister.

"And I said if I did that I would tell you how to hurt me," Clark remembers his words. Of course he does. He remembers everything.

"Yep."

"You already know how to hurt me and since I don't see any green rocks on your person my question remains why are you here? If it's to chew me out I can assure you, Dom, there is nothing you can say that can make me feel any worse."

"Ooh, that sounds like a challenge."

"Dom. If you're here to yell at me just do it and leave me alone," he says, with no strength in him to fight with her.

Domino's expression becomes a tad more serious. "I'm not here to yell at you," she says and she sits herself down next to him. She shivers a little at the cold wind coming in off the ocean. "God in hell. How did you sit here all night?" she wonders.

"I don't feel the cold. Nor do I feel the heat. I feel things differently to the way humans do...but enough of me. Why are you here, Dom?" he repeats his question wanting her to get on with it and leave him alone.

"I want to know what happened."

"I'm sure Rogue told you."

"Yeah, she did...in-between cursing you and saying she regrets the day she ever met you."

"I'm sorry she feels like that because I don't regret the day I met her."

"I'm sure that was the anger talking," Dom feels because when Rogue calms down she is certain she will be able to look back and see that Clark had been good for her. From what she knows about how Rogue use to be like Clark did bring Rogue a long way out of her shell.

"It doesn't matter. I always said that if she wanted to hate me she could for as long as she's alright," he says in sad, sullen tones.

God his attitude makes it really hard to stay angry at him. "What happened?"

"What is there to say. We've been dating close to a year yet we keep secrets from each other. Where's the trust?"

"Nowhere."

"Exactly. Don't get me wrong. In her heart she's a good person. She tries hard to do good. I saw that in her mind but the thing here is, Dom, it's been almost a year since we started dating, more than a year since we became friends and yet she still can't feel she can open up to me about her past. As for myself, I know she hates secrets yet I felt I had to keep them anyway. That probably condemns me in your eyes but I can't find any argument as to what I did was wrong."

Domino looks at him. "What has happened to you?"

Clark laughs mirthlessly. "I don't know," he says with a shake of his head. "I look in the mirror at myself and I wonder who the hell it is looking back at me..and maybe that is the reason I should have ended it before now."

"I don't understand."

"I'm a mess Dom." He taps on the side of his head. "Up here. I hid it well but lately the cracks are showing. I need to sort myself out and it is just better that no-one is around me until I do that. You can't trust me, Dom, to do the right thing at the minute and you shouldn't," he warns her.

Domino looks at him with real concern that is outweighing her anger right now. "What are you going to do?"

"Refocus my life. I've been trying to do too many things and as harsh as this may sound breaking up with Rogue makes it easier. It also makes her safer which is the important thing I think you agree."

"Safer from what? You?"

"Yes. I love her, Dom. That's why I fought to keep it going even when with my less than 100% mental sanity. I will always love her, probably...and at least I chose a good time to do it. She can touch now. She is free to be with anyone she wants."

"And you're ok with the idea of her with someone else?"

"As long as she's happy, yes. I can't do that, make her happy. Not at the minute. I could well look back one day and think what a screw up I am making but then again I can't do what it would take to being us back together right now. I'm a mess."

"You mentioned that."

"I know. It needs repeating. Do you want the mess I currently am dating your sister? Be honest."

"I want her to be happy."

"Nice deflection."

"Thank you. I have to say though I don't get it. You said you loved each other yet neither of would completely share."

"I make no excuse for myself. I have secrets I feel I have to keep and despite seeing inside her mind I actually don't get it either which is just another reason to the list of why we need to go our separate ways."

"You know I came out here all ready to layeth the smacketh down on your candy ass."

"I do watch pro-wrestling and that one is like from a decade ago."

"Yeah. Well I watched it too...and it's still catchy but my point is now I'm not sure what to do."

"Yes you do," Clark assures her.

"I do?"

"Yes. You go support Rogue, be her sister and blame the whole thing on her ex-boyfriend."

"Oh that. I was going to do that anyway."

"Of course you were," Clark says in a tone that show how he is not believing her.

"Will you be alright?" Domino asks, before she goes. She does genuinely like the young man.

"I don't know," Clark gives the honest answer. He is too hurt and has too many conflicting emotions swirling around right now.

Domino leans over and gives him a friendly kiss on the cheek. "Whatever happens try to remain that guy who is too good for this world," she offers her advice because the world needs someone like that.

"I'll try," is all Clark can offer back.

Domino stands up, dusts herself down and heads back to the mansion to provide that support Rogue is going to need.

Clark goes back to staring out across the water. He's in no rush to head back and confront what he knows he is facing. He's just going to sit here, all alone and try and figure out how one manages a broken heart.

* * *

Rogue can think of two words as she lays in bed this morning.

This sucks.

It does in a way she can't think of words to attach to how much this sucks. She cried so much she thinks she has cried herself out. Now she just lies like a lump in bed with no energy and a horrible aching feeling inside her where her heart use to be.

She had no idea it hurt this much.

Her door opens and she manages to make her eyes move in that direction to see Storm enter, tray in hand with what Rogue assumes is her breakfast. "Ah'm not hungry," she mumbles.

Ororo smiles pleasantly and moves to sit down on the bed. "I know you may not feel like eating, Rogue but you must keep up your strength."

Rogue finds the strength to give Ororo one of her more withering glares.

Ororo continues to smile kindly. "I have been where you are Rogue. I know how much it hurts."

"What kind of idiot would dump ya?" Rogue wonders because it is plainly obvious even to her that Storm is sickeningly beautiful.

"The same kind of idiot that dumped you. If it is any consolation I believe Logan is in the process of planning how to hang, draw and quarter Clark. Or in other words he is very unhappy that his little girl's heart has been broken."

"Ah ain't his little girl," Rogue protests with some vigour.

"Yes. You are," Ororo says sincerely about how Logan sees Rogue, even if he doesn't express it.

Rogue takes a shaky breath. "Does...does it get better?" she asks almost fearfully in case it doesn't.

"In time, yes," Ororo assures Rogue. She places the breakfast tray on Rogue's lap. "Now come on. Try and eat something," she encourages the teenage girl.

Rogue picks at the food a little before Ororo's warm caring gaze guilts her into at least trying some of it. She feels Ororo brush her hand over Rogue's messed up hair, both ordering it and as a soothing gesture. It's been a long time since anyone showed that kind of caring for her.

Saying that Domino had spent the night with her. Heck even Kurt poked his head in her door this morning.

Rogue pauses.

Family.

Rogue hadn't really had one before. Irene had been nice but there was never any concept of them being that close.

Now she finally gets what it means to have a family. A family is there for you when you are hurting the most.

"Storm?" Rogue quietly queries.

"Yes, Rogue."

"Any chance ya can shove a thunder bolt up Clark's butt?"

Ororo laughs and shakes her head. "Sorry. For Martha's sake I'm afraid not," she gently refuses.

"Oh, ok. Any chance ah can borrow your powers and do it?"

Ororo understands the sentiment of what Rogue is wishing. "I'm afraid I must refuse...although I'm certain perhaps there are less drastic measures we can think of."

"Lahke?"

"There was this one man who, like me, shared a love of gardening and...well lets just say his frost sensitive plants suffered a surprising overnight freeze," Ororo says with a sly grin.

Rogue laughs and almost chokes on her breakfast as a result.

"What's happening?" Domino asks as she returns from her talk with Clark.

"Oh we were simply postulating methods of retribution upon Clark," Ororo says simply as if discussing the weather.

"Oh really?" Domino queries with a sudden interest. "And you started this without me? I'm hurt," Dom pouts.

"Ya have an idea?" Rogue asks.

"Remember who you're talking to," Dom says with a certain look. "I've got hundreds." Hey she never promised she wouldn't make him suffer you know. A positively wicked gleam comes to her eyes. Clark will never know what hit him.

* * *

**The next day...**

Right at this moment Clark is thinking how school has never been more of a chore. It's never particularly fun considering a lot of the other students shun him because he hangs out with mutants. The school work is also insanely easy for him. He has a straight B+ average because he deliberately aims not to gain himself too much attention so deliberately sets out to get Bs. As matter of fact he use to get A minuses but he has slowly been letting his grades slide back this year.

Now of course he is suffering through his and Rogue's break-up which makes it even more of a chore. Listening to his teachers drone on is even less appealing when you're suffering heartache.

There is also one other thing that Clark has been tolerating for awhile. Ever since he exposed Cat Grant as an agent of SHIELD the 'protection' that allowed him to write his article in the school paper went with her and Principal Kelly has been basically cutting his work out ever since. Clark has had many an argument with Kelly about that but in the end he just let the stuck up little tyrant have his way for a few reasons. One; the whole point of wearing glasses on his face is part of creating a persona no-one pays much attention to so being that obstinate with Kelly would be self-defeating to the cause. Also he has just had more important things to do, mainly with finding the stones.

However, as he said to Domino yesterday, now he and Rogue are done it is time he refocussed his life into what he believes is truly important. That being said it is time he and Kelly had a 'chat' and cleared the air once and for all.

On his way to Kelly's office Clark passes by Ray and Bobby.

His whole demeanour seems to catch their attention.

"Yo, Clark. Where you off to?" Ray asks him.

"To throw Kelly's car out of the city limits again, only this time with him in it," he says referencing what he did that day last year when his powers went out of whack.

"Can we watch?" Bobby asks, eagerly because seriously Kelly was beyond a jackass.

"Sure," Clark promises as he storms past them, caring little whether the two boys believe him serious or not.

Soon enough Clark is sitting opposite Principal Kelly across the older man's desk.

"So what is it that you wish to see me about Mr Kent?" Kelly asks him.

"About you cutting my article, again!"

Kelly sighs and silently groans. Kent just will not let up on that. "Mr Kent we have discussed this. I have to ensure everything written does not unfairly represent the school's policies."

"I don't misrepresent the school's policies," Clark objects to that claim. "I write an accurate representation of what life is like living with mutants. It's not my fault you turn a blind eye to the blatant mutant bigotry around here."

Kelly's eyes narrow in aggravation and his temper rises slightly. "Mr Kent, I ensure the policy of the school board is enforced."

"A policy you openly objected to and then tried to set it up to have mutants expelled."

"That's slander."

"Actually in print it's libel," Clark smartly corrects him.

"Whatever the term and whatever my personal opinion was at the time the school board made its decision and if it wasn't happy with the way I was running things they can make moves to have me removed from my position."

"Which of course brings us as to why you cut my articles. You don't want them to know what a bigoted jerk you are."

"Excuse me?" Kelly demands of Clark, his temper rising further to the point the his cheeks go slightly red in colour.

"I don't think I stuttered did I?"

"Mr Kent you are walking on thin ice," Kelly warns him.

"I'm just telling the truth. You don't want my friends here. You let them be abused day after day after day and you do everything you can to make their lives as difficult as possible and to top it all off when I try to make the world aware of your actions you pull my articles. Robert Kelly; working everyday to make sure truth and justice aren't enforced."

"Mr Kent," Kelly almost growls his face getting redder with rage.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out," Clark maddeningly quips.

"You are heading for a detention."

"For doing what? I haven't broke a single rule. That being the case I'm certain my parents, my very human parents, would raise the issue with the school board. Do you really want that?"

Kelly's face puckers. "Mr Kent, my decision stands," he states, knowing he has the final say and therefore the advantage.

"Fine."

Kelly looks at Clark rather confused by the easy way he has suddenly seemed to accept that. "Fine?"

"Yes. Absolutely. I expected you to say that. In fact I'm going to make your life much easier because I'll be quitting the school paper."

Kelly almost smiles. Kent had been a pain in his neck with his constant pushing and arguing about the contents of the paper.

"Can I go now?" Clark asks.

Kelly holds his hand out toward the door signalling he permits Clark to leave.

Clark rises to his feet and heads for the exit. He pauses at the threshold. "Oh, Principal Kelly, just to say that if you ever liked any of my work you can continue to enjoy it on my new blog on the Institute website where you can't curtail me," he says with a sly grin. By agreeing to him leaving the school paper all Kelly has done is untie Clark's metaphorical hands from behind his back.

"Mr Kent. I'm warning you..."

"I'm just exercising my 1st amendment rights. You should read my 1st article. It's all about you and your management of this school since the summer. Not to toot my own horn but it's pretty...cutting. Well have a good day Principal Kelly," Clark says with a sudden cheery smile and wave as he walks off. Although he didn't say what he really thought of Kelly, that would have gotten him expelled, that still felt good. More what it felt like is a weight that had been lifted off of his shoulders and now instead of bending to Kelly's whims he is free to write a truth that defends his friends. It could be said he is giving a voice to the voiceless...hmm maybe he should make that his mantra going forward.

* * *

At the end of the school day Kitty finds herself hanging around with Kurt and Amanda waiting for the x-van to show and pick them up. She looks around for Rogue. Her besty was obviously still very upset and Kitty had done her best to cheer Rogue up. Got the really expensive delicacy chocolate ice-cream and spent the night pigging out with her. She sighs.

"Vhat?" Kurt asks at Kitty's loud sigh.

"Oh I'm just thinking on Clark and Rogue. It's like so sad," Kitty expresses her opinion on it.

Both Kurt and Amanda agree. It was sad.

"I still can't believe she's your sister," Amanda says. When Kurt had told her the story you could have knocked her down with a feather.

"Ja. I'm still adjusting to zhat," Kurt admits. It's nice. It just takes a little time to make the adjustment.

"How are you handling all this stuff with their break-up?" Amanda wonders.

"It's hard," Kurt confesses. "On vone hand Rogue is mein sister. On zhe ozher Clark is mein friend."

"Yeah. It's horrible being caught in the middle," Kitty gives her view on it.

"Is Rogue here? I haven't seen her today," Amanda is curious.

"She's here somewhere," Kitty answers. "She just isn't in a socialising mood," she explains. Basically Rogue goes to class and avoids any unnecessary talking to or hanging out with people.

"Well that's understandable," Amanda says. If she and Kurt ever broke up she knows she would be devastated and not in a socialising mood either.

* * *

**Later that evening at the Institute...**

"What do you mean you quit the school paper?" Martha asks her son after he tells her what he did today.

The whole Kent/Selton clan are in Martha and Jonathan's 'room'. Although since the rebuild of the mansion it was like a small apartment for the two of them. They are having a family meeting in the lounge area with Joanthan and Martha sitting together on the couch and Clark and Claire each in a chair.

"Mom, we all know Kelly has been stiffing me for weeks. It was only a matter of time until this happened," Clark defends himself.

"This Kelly sounds like a dick," Claire says. She's never met the man but has heard plenty of complaining about him from everyone. She's never met him because she doesn't go to school. Never has. She is tutored here at the Institute.

"He is," Clark confirms what Principal Kelly is like.

Jonathan glances at Claire. One day they will curb her language he keeps telling himself. "But Clark, what about your desire to be a journalist?" he asks and he asks because it is the 1st thing in his whole life Clark has seemed really determined to choose for a future career. He doesn't want his son throwing away his dream because of a spat with Robert Kelly.

"I still want to do that. I'm working towards the grades I'll need. I'm going to write a blog on the Institute's website. Remember I did mention that was a possibility after we exposed Cat as a SHIELD agent and wondered about the consequences."

Clark is correct his parents will concede. They did talk about this possible outcome.

"Are you sure you don't want your father or I to talk to the Principal, Clark?" Martha offers to help him.

"You would be wasting your time, mom. He hates mutants and by association I don't think he thinks very much of you guys either."

"Oh he is so getting torched," Claire vows. "But before that what was that stuff about a SHIELD agent?"

"Oh right, that," Clark remembers she wasn't here then. "It started on the first day of school after the summer. There was a new student named Cat Grant who talked me into writing for the school paper, detailing life at the mansion in an attempt to show how normal mutants are."

"Apart from Drake I can see that. So what happened?"

"Cat was a spy for Fury. Her real name is Sharon Carter and it was all about her getting close to me to get close to the X-Men."

"Wow. Weren't you pissed?"

"Extremely so. Not to mention how close she came to learning things she shouldn't have courtesy of Bobby and Roberto."

"What did those two morons do?"

"Cat played them off each other for her affections and to try and prove themselves they let her down into the lower levels where my life story was written on the walls."

"Fucking retarded idiots," Claire insults them. "How haven't you killed them?"

"We don't do that around here, remember."

"I can conveniently forget," Claire says with a smirk.

"Honey," Martha gently warns her off.

"Fine. Fine. It was just an offer. I can do the same for Rogue as well."

Clark smiles thinly. "Tempting but no."

"You sure? She has been a bit of bitch about it," Claire comments on Rogue's attitude to the break-up. "I mean she is just as responsible as you are and I can make it look like an accident."

"I find that worrying how sincere you sound," Jonathan says.

"You should be," Claire tells him.

Jonathan looks to his wife. Martha shrugs.

"Rogue's just hurting," Clark excuses his now ex-girlfriend's recent bitchy attitude. "For my sake I ask you to tolerate her, Claire," he requests.

"Ok. Fine. I won't do anything permanent to her."

That's probably as good as Clark is going to get. Now he thinks they have gotten a bit off topic so he gets back to his life. "Look I'm not upset about the school paper. Truth is I need to prioritise my life into what is important. For months I've let myself be pulled into too many directions. Not spending my days arguing with Kelly is one thing I can certainly drop."

"Clark...you're hurting. Don't deny that," Martha asks of her son. Burying his feelings is...always has been his problem. It is what makes Kal so explosive when Clark's alter ego gets released.

"I'm not, mom," Clark says, his voice laced with pain. "But as I have said before I think it is time I moved passed the days I spent moping around and not accomplishing anything. Sorting out my life is better than sitting around contemplating how much my heart is hurting."

Or in other words he's distracting himself from his pain.

"So what are your priorities, son?" Jonathan wants to know.

"Well my writing as I said. I'm taking a few days off but I still wish to go out and help people as Superman whenever I can. Finding Lionel."

"That last one I can so get behind," Claire says. For when she gets her hands on Lionel she will smoke his ass...literally. Fire burns in her orange eyes at the prospect of getting payback on the son of a bitch who had her snatched off the streets and stuck in one of his labs.

"There's one other thing but the Professor needs to be involved in that discussion," Clark believes because his final priority is going to affect more than him.

* * *

Logan had gone through a lot of conflicting emotions since the day it was shown that biologically Rogue is his daughter.

At first there was anger. Not at her. For the people of Weapon X who used his DNA to make her. There is the question of course she may not be the only one of Stryker's creations who is directly related to him.

That's not an easy question to answer who, if any, exist and where are they.

Believe him they've looked. Stryker made sure when he was having his creations dropped off there was next to no paper trail.

Of course there was Domino...

Logan grimaces at the thought of her. He's certain she spends her free-time planning how to annoy him. He needs to think of a way to make sure she has a lot less free-time. The only positive he gives her is that she's actually a good sister to Rogue.

And back to Rogue. After he stopped being angry there was awkwardness and he was unsure about how to be around her. Logan has literally no memories of any experience of being a father. Especially not to a teenage girl who in her own way is as emotionally repressed as he is.

Logan has tried tentatively to reach out to Rogue and he thinks they're okay even if they're not very close.

Right now he is watching her work the punching bag down in the gym. It doesn't take much guess work she is channelling her anger into it.

Logan is angry at Space Boy and actually a little sad. Despite his misgivings over the fact they had a physical relationship Clark had been good for her. She had been happier, more outgoing. He had drawn her out of her shell.

Logan ain't a romantic idealist. He knows relationships don't always work out. Still as Rogue's father he is totally pissed at that boy for breaking her heart.

Logan strides forward and grabs the bag to steady it.

Rogue pauses in her work-out for a moment in surprise at seeing him. "What are ya doing here?"

"Holding the bag."

"Is that a metaphor for something?"

"Do I look remotely like the person who goes in for that sort of cryptic crap?"

Rogue smiles slightly. "No. Ya don't."

"And don't worry I ain't going to ask ya about how you're feeling," Logan assures her.

"Good, cause ah don't want ta talk about it. Especially not with ya."

"And I don't want to hear it. You know I hate all this teenage angst nonsense."

Rogue refocusses herself on the bag and starts working through her routine on it. "So Storm said ya were planning something for Clark," she mentions.

Logan refrains from pointing out she's talking about the very thing she said she didn't want to talk about. "I was but Martha caught me. Have ya seen the glare that woman can deliver?"

Rogue smirks. "Tha great big scary Wolverine afraid of a little red-haired woman."

"I never said I was afraid of her," Logan protests.

"Ya keep tellin yourself that."

"I will."

Rogue shakes her head a little in amusement and delivers a firm kick to the bag. So firm in fact she almost kicks Logan back.

Logan is a little surprised by how much force there was behind that. If he didn't know better he would say it was almost a superhumanly strong kick. "Have ya talked to the Professor about your powers?" he asks her.

"A little. We have ta come up with a way ta practice how Ah control them."

Logan nods in understanding. He was happy for her that despite the whole big mess that somehow it worked out good in terms of her powers. She deserved it. He knew right now she was hurting and would be for awhile but he was here for her.

Storm and Domino enter the gym, coming for their evening workout. They stop at seeing Logan and Rogue.

Storm smiles. Logan may not be able to express it well but it was just as she knew him to be. A good man.

Domino meanwhile wonders how she can use this to tease him. The great big softy. Oh yeah. She's going to be having fun with this one for weeks.

* * *

The Professor is in his study as the Kent family explain why they are here. He is glad in a way to hear Clark is trying to prioritise his life. The young man had been obviously stretching himself too thin as of late. He is certain that contributed in part to Clark and Rogue's break-up which he is saddened about.

However he is surprised by what Clark is saying about his next priority. "You want to quit the X-Men?"

"Not quit...exactly," Clark struggles a little to clarify. "Professor I appreciate everything you have helped me with since I came here. If the X-Men ever need me for anything you know I'll help but I've been thinking it over and there is a choice that has to be made."

"What choice?"

"Jor-El and his training. I don't know how much time that will involve but I do know it involves spending time up at the Fortress. I severely doubt I can keep to every obligation being an X-Man entails and spend time up there as well and I would not ask you to excuse me from what everyone else is expected to do. I don't desire to be treated differently or special."

"Clark," Jonathan speaks his son's name with a deadly seriousness. "You can't be serious. You want to go to Jor-El?" he asks, unable to believe Clark would just voluntarily go after everything.

Clark should have known that would be his dad's reaction. "I know what he has done and believe me, dad, I'm neither forgetting nor forgiving him...nor trusting him but lets face the basic facts. There's a huge Kryptonian structure somewhere in the Arctic..." Clark really needed to find out precisely where. "...and it is composed of technology and possesses weaponry most likely not even conceived of on Earth and right now the only person who can understand and control it is Jor-El."

"That's not a comforting thought," Jonathan remarks.

"No. It's not," Clark confirms he too shares that sentiment. "However if he teaches me about it then at least I would learn how to disable it should it ever come to it."

"But what if he tries to take control of you?" Martha expresses a deep worry.

"Actually my mental welfare is part of why I must go."

"The fragmentation of your mind," Charles mentions something he and Clark have discussed.

"Jor-El botched it and he's going to fix it," Clark states, his tone bearing no argument on that. "He has to," Clark's voice drops to a hoarse whisper in a desperate plea.

"I think it is time I talked to Jor-El," Charles states.

Clark looks up in complete surprise. "What?"

"Your father has had an effect on you, Clark, my students and this Institute for too long without myself directly confronting him."

"Professor...I can't guarantee your safety," Clark must ashamedly admit. He doesn't know how Jor-El will react.

"I understand," Charles says, absolving Clark of responsibility.

"You really want to do this?"

"Yes. In fact it will conveniently work out. I believe you mentioned the way to reach the Fortress was through the caves in Smallville?"

Clark nods.

"I was intending to go to Smallville shortly to meet Lilandra, get an assessment of the situation between the mutant community and the wider community in the town and see what I could do to help."

"That's a pretty long winded way of saying you want to meet your girlfriend," Claire says smartly.

"I do not have a girlfriend," Charles refutes that.

"That ain't how Logan tells the story."

"I will have words with him about his inaccuracies."

"You do that."

"She is so your daughter," Jonathan mutters to his wife.

Martha knows he isn't being serious. "Yes. She is," she states proudly.

Claire grins.

Martha notes how Claire is handling the mention of Smallville better. It is most likely a front but at least she isn't breaking down into tears this time. Hopefully that's a step forward. Now if only she could get Claire to open up about how she grew up and everything that has happened to her.

Charles returns to the issue as to why they are here. "Clark, since I desired you to take a break I request you hold off making your final decision in regards to the X-Men until we talk to Jor-El."

Clark wonders whether he can argue that and decides he can't. "As you wish, Professor. When do you want to go?"

"The weekend makes the most sense since I don't wish you to miss school."

"No. We can't have that can we," Clark chirps sarcastically.

"You poor, poor, schmuck," Claire false sympathises when in fact she gets great glee in knowing her brother suffers from going to that place she doesn't have to.

"It's so nice to have family," Clark mutters as he makes a face at her.

"It is," Jonathan says. "Which is why I will be coming with you this weekend."

Clark's eyes widen. One thing he has tried to do from the start is keep his parents safe and away from Jor-El. "Dad?"

"We confront these things as a family, Clark," Jonathan reminds him. He doesn't speak for Martha because he understands her desire to be close to Claire, especially when they are talking about something as painful to the girl as Smallville is.

"If you want to go, mom, you can," Claire says in a quiet tone. "I'll be fine here."

"Claire?" Martha queries.

"I will," she insists. "Marie and I can go out and do...stuff," she says or in other words she will distract herself...and she wants to do stuff with Marie. Of course she does. Marie is her girlfriend.

"The decision is yours Martha," Charles allows her to make it.

Martha can't say she hasn't wanted to give Jor-El a piece of her mind because she most certainly has. She looks to Claire who looks back, assuredness in her orange eyes that she will be fine. She was a good girl under the coarse language which is saying something considering how Claire grew up. If only Martha knew the details. However she is dealing with Clark's situation right now and in regards to that she decides, "I will come as well."

"Then it is settled," Charles decides.

This weekend frank words with Jor-El would be had.

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm trying not to make Rogue or Clark particularly the bad guy. They're both responsible for the mess and it's consequences. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; A trip to Smallville and the meeting with Jor-El._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It was early Saturday morning the x-jet took off for Smallville. Being less than 2 weeks before Christmas it was still pitch black as the sleek black jet serenely flew westward. On board were the Professor, Beast, Clark(in his Superman uniform for the moment), his parents along with Shadowcat(you try and stop her from having a chance to see the Fortress of Solitude), Iceman(who was using this as an excuse to visit Chloe. What can he say he likes her), Spyke(his aunt 'volunteered' him for the 2nd time in just over a week, feeling he needs a lesson about hard work and responsibility) and Sam(who was along because it was his turn).

It was Sam's turn to be part of the small group going out to assist with Smallville's rebuilding. That was the other reason they were all here. From the stories of the others who had gone it seemed like they, as in the X-Men, were starting to build real bridges and connections with Smallville's mutant community which Sam figured was part of the reason they were doing this. He isn't leader of the New Mutants just because he has a pretty face ya know.

Clark sits with his arms folded across his chest, his expression stern. He isn't looking forward to this. Then again he isn't exactly in the cheeriest of moods. It has only been a few days since he and Rogue broke-up and he can tell you that his heart is still smarting like crazy. Seeing your ex is always awkward. Clark thinks that is probably true for most people. Well he has to live under the same roof as his. Just try and imagine that level of awkwardness with the cool glances and difficult silences whenever they're in the same room.

That being the case he guesses he should be welcoming a chance to avoid having to see her by coming on this trip...but he's not because, despite the small improvement in their relationship, to Clark, Jor-El is still a pompous ass and pain in the butt.

* * *

Soon enough, or too soon depending on your point of view, the x-jet sets down near the Kawatche caves and the group aboard disembark. Clark carries the Professor in his wheelchair since he is the strongest and well it is only polite and proper. These are guests about to visit his sort of home.

They reach the alcove with the plinth. Clark instructs them to gather close around it before he drops the key into the thin slot. They are all engulfed in a blinding flash of light.

The first thing the group notices is the temperature. It was cold. Freezing cold. That would be why Clark instructed them to wear something warm.

When their eyes adjust the second thing that happens is all of them adopt the same expression of wonder as they stand amongst the forest of ice columns that compose the Fortress.

"Oh my stars and garters," Hank exclaims in a voice of total awe.

"Welcome to the Fortress of Solitude," Clark says.

Martha and Jonathan are in as awe at what they see. It is also a very physical reminder of just how...alien their son is.

"Wow," Kitty squeaks. It was more awesome than she imagined. She doesn't even know where to start.

"Is there a reason it's so cold?" Evan complains. He isn't quite as enthralled as some people by the spectacle around them.

"We're in the Arctic Evan and it's December," Clark explains. "We might as well get on with this," he decides. He looks up. "Jor-El!" he calls out.

"My son," Jor-El's voice booms out. "You have returned."

"I brought guests," he says in a tone that shows how absurd that sounds.

"Indeed," Jor-El says in a flat tone that doesn't show any inflection as to how the disembodied voice feels on that.

The Professor clears his throat, feeling he should step in here as this was his idea. "Greetings, Jor-El. I am Charles Xavier."

"I know who you are from my son's memories, Charles Xavier."

"Then you know he has been attending my Institute as he learns about his powers and himself."

"I am...grateful for what you done for Kal-El but his time with you is drawing to it's conclusion."

"Is it?" Charles questions that.

"Mutants, for all their gifts, are still human. My son is a Kryptonian. You cannot understand what that means. Only here, with me, can he learn and understand his true heritage."

"Perhaps what you say is true but what I can understand is what it is like to have your mind violated."

"I do what I must. Kal-El was being overly difficult in accepting his destiny."

"His destiny will be whatever he chooses it to be," Jonathan repeats something he said just before he made that deal with Jor-El 2 summers back to get Clark back.

"As I said to you then, Jonathan Kent, you cannot comprehend Kal-El's true destiny."

"You know I'm standing right here," Clark mutters impetuously, frowning annoyed at being spoken about while being ignored.

Charles raises a hand in Jonathan's direction as a request to allow him to speak. "Jor-El, however important you deem Clark's destiny to be, I cannot see how it justifies your actions. You set about creating a whole new personality, a whole new person. In a way you were murdering Clark Kent."

"The safety of the 3 elements was at risk. I did not have time to pointlessly debate with my son who stubbornly refused to obey me."

Clark raises his hand. "Um, hello. You know if you had just explained to me about the power and danger of the 3 stones I would have been more than slightly inclined to go look for them," he points out.

"More likely you would have believed it a deception on my part."

"That's, uh, not necessarily true," Clark says, not sounding all that certain of the truth of his own words.

"Way to sound convinced," Kitty whispers at him.

Clark makes a face at her.

"Jor-El, what you have done is leave Clark's mind in a perilous condition," Charles argues back.

"My hand was forced to release him before he was ready."

"I do not believe your position is consistent," Charles proposes.

"In what way?" Jor-El asks back and you can hear the flare of disapproval in his tone at being argued with by some lonely human.

"Protect him and deliver from evil. Those were your words, yes?"

"They were."

"Yet you chose to force him into a world where he would face that evil before he was ready."

"His destiny could not wait any longer."

"I have to disagree. Jonathan is correct, Clark's destiny is what he will choose it to be. A parent's role in part is the same as a mentor. It is to teach them what they need to know to make their own choices."

"You speak from a lack of understanding. I sent Kal-El to Earth for a very specific purpose. Your world is in grave peril of following Krypton's fate into self-destruction..."

"Here we go," Clark mutters. He's heard all this before. He sits himself down. "You might as well get comfortable. This is going to take awhile," he advises as he sits himself down. He knows this to be true because he had been forced to listen to Jor-El drone on about his destiny for 3 long, long, long months.

* * *

**An hour later...**

Everyone is thoroughly cold as the Professor and Jor-El seemingly debate everything they can think of shooting each down with one logical argument after another. Bottom line is at the moment no-one is winning.

Martha had been all prepared to give Jor-El the wrath of an angry mother but after an hour here even she has reached the end. In fact she has had enough of listening to this. She rises to her feet. "Stop! Just stop!" she intercedes herself bringing Jor-El and the Professor's debate to an end. "I don't care who is right or who is wrong. All I care about is my son who is suffering and the only thing I want of you, Jor-El, is to know whether you can help him."

Everyone just stares at Martha wide-eyed in shock that she had the gall to speak up like that.

"You are a passionate person Martha Kent," Jor-El praises her. "I am glad Kal-El found his way to you."

Martha is a little stunned to hear that. "I...uh...I'm glad he came to me," is all she can say. Clark has been one of the brightest lights in her life. "Can you help him?" she gets back to what is important.

"I can reintegrate the varying personalities within his mind," Jor-El confirms he can help Clark but he cautions, "It is a delicate and time consuming procedure."

"And who will I be at the end of it?" Clark asks because it's a good question.

"My son."

"Gee, so helpful," Clark mutters.

"I think Clark means will you use this opportunity to..." Charles tries to think of a phrase that is not too offensive sounding.

Jonathan just decides to say it. "Enslave him."

There is a silence for a moment.

"Ok I'm starting to get worried," Evan whispers, looking slightly concerned at the silence as if it is the prelude to something bad about to strike them.

"I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by Kal-El's success in obtaining the elements. I will not enslave him," Jor-El says. "However you also cannot expect him to be the same after I have melded the 3 hues of himself together," he then adds as a caution.

"That is true. I cannot deny," Charles tells the Kents, relating his own experience of similar incidents.

"I think we need to discuss that as a family first," Martha decides and when she is saying that she means not here.

"If I agree there is also the issue of this training?" Clark queries. Now the Professor and Jor-El have finished debating with each other it seems like a good moment to raise it.

"It would require considerable time, Kal-El."

"And that's a problem. Time is something I don't have a lot of to spare. I have a dangerous enemy who is loose."

"Lionel Luthor," Jor-El speaks what he can pick up from Clark's mind.

"When we battled in the summer he promised to create a whole army of superpowered suits, powered by kryptonite. Personally I think he'll try and fulfil that threat. I don't believe it would be considered wise to let him create an army powered by the one substance that can kill me, do you?"

"You have matured, Kal-El," Jor-El says in what is praise. "And you are correct. This human must be apprehended."

"So?"

There is a flash of light and Clark finds himself suddenly alone.

"Fear not. I have sent them back to the caves," Jor-El explains what he has done. "I wish we speak alone."

Clark frowns. He isn't happy that was done without some warning beforehand. "So, what is it you wish to say?"

"Your mind needs to be healed. I regret I have contributed to it's present state...and you do require training in your history if you are to fulfil your great destiny."

Clark bites back his usual retort about making his own destiny for the sake of avoiding another pointless argument. "Yet I need to find Lionel. So what do we do? Do we do this part time?"

"It is not as I would have chosen but your phrasing is not inaccurate. It is the best we can accomplish in the circumstances."

Clark can't argue that. "I will try and fit it in. Now, return me to the caves."

"Very well. Before you leave I express my sorrow at the end of your courtship. I know of the pain you are enduring too well."

"I'll survive. I'm the last survivor of Krypton. It's what I do best, right?" Clark replies with stark hurt and pain in his voice.

"When you are ready for your training, I shall be here," Jor-El promises him and Clark feels he is saying that is more than just for his training. He almost sounds like a father.

Clark vanishes in a flash of light.

* * *

**Smallville's Mutant Community...**

Lilandra was in her room, her private space. Private time wasn't something she got a massive amount of considering her role as leader of this community. She knows she shouldn't grumble. This was her choice. The people here had needed guidance and protection and she had believed she could fulfil that role.

Lately it wasn't so bad. She had managed to create a working relationship with the Mayor yet she knew she and the others were still being watched closely. She had to walk a careful line.

There is a knock on her door. "Enter, Abbey!" she permits.

The door is opened by a blond girl wearing glasses with a bad case of acne. She was one of the newer residents of the community, Abigail Fine. Strictly speaking she wasn't a mutant. Her mother had used her to test an experimental beauty treatment derived from the meteor rocks. It worked, transforming Abbey into a physically beautiful young woman. It also had the side-effect of rendering Abbey's kiss deadly, in the sense it caused hallucinations so horrible the person would literally die of the horror.

When people started dying like that Lilandra had used her telepathic abilities to solve the mystery, so to speak, with Chloe's help. If Lilandra was to keep her charges safe she had to show she could keep order. Together Lilandra and Chloe found what Abbey's mother had done and put a stop to it.

Course that raises the issue of how Abbey's mother got hold of the rocks if Lex Luthor had supposedly cleaned up the town of them. There was, of course, no evidence linking him to Dr Fine's work but Lilandra and Chloe had their suspicions he was involved.

As for Abbey, with her mother locked up for various criminal charges involving illegal human experiments and use of controlled substances(which is what the rocks are considered now everyone is aware of their mutational effects), someone had to take care of her and that someone was Lilandra. The girl was traumatised and guilty about what she had done despite the fact her mother had pressurised her daughter into these tests. Abbey was here so Lilandra could help her learn to accept what had happened and move on with her life and more importantly do something positive with her life.

By now the effects of the treatments had, thankfully, worn off and Abbey had returned to her previous appearance. Lilandra assured her the acne would clear up...eventually. They had her on more traditional treatments at the moment.

Abbey is creeped out. "I hate it when you do that," she complains about Lilandra knowing who is at her door.

Lilandra smirks slightly. "What is it, Abbey?" she asks about what brings Abbey here.

"That Professor Xavier fellow is here."

"He is!" Lilandra says with surprise, her tone taking a higher tone. She rushes to meet him, only to stop in front of her mirror and take a moment to straighten out her hair and clothes. She spots Abbey grinning in the reflection.

Lilandra turns and places her hands on her hips in a stern manner. "And what are you smiling at, young lady?"

"The fact you have it bad."

"I have told you not to listen to the troublemakers around here," Lilandra reminds Abbey. She knows what group have started this rumour that she acts like a lovestruck teenager around Charles. She is going to rewire their brains to make them think their chickens. She swears to God.

Abbey shrugs. She is just happy to be somewhere where she is forgiven for her acts and where she isn't teased relentless for her appearance, unlike Smallville High. It would be why she let her mother talk her into those treatments. She should have listened to Clark. He always use to defend her against her tormentors and told her not to let people get her down. If he had stayed she wonders if she would have been smart enough to not listen to her mother.

* * *

Outside the small settlement, where the x-jet had set down, Martha and Jonathan were getting their first look at the home they were forced to leave behind.

For Jonathan it still holds a sense of failure and loss that he was the Kent that lost the farm that had been in his family for generations.

The group stand outside the x-jet. Clark had changed out of his Superman costume into his civilian wear since Superman tends to provoke a negative reaction out of some members of the mutant community, i.e. the ones he stuck in Belle Reve.

"Charles!" a voice calls out in delight.

Charles smiles instantly as he sees Lilandra approach. "Lilandra," he greets her back once she is within earshot of a gentler tone of voice.

"I'm so glad you could make it," Lilandra says with much apparent joy at seeing him here.

"That's not an issue. As I said my X-Men are here to help...and I've brought a couple of other guests. This is Martha and Jonathan Kent. They use to own the farm."

Lilandra turns her attention to the red-haired woman and blond man. "A pleasure to meet you," she greets them and they warmly greet her back in a similar fashion.

"You did mention something about wishing advice on how to cultivate the land," Charles reminds her of something they discussed in one of their phone conversations.

"So I did," Lilandra recalls with a smile playing on her lips.

"Clark?" a voice tentatively queries.

Clark pushes his glasses up his nose and turns to the blond girl with the acne who had followed Lilandra out. He manages a small smile at seeing her. "Abbey. You're looking well."

Abbey smiles back. "You always said that."

"Because it was always true."

Abbey gives him a sceptical look. "Clark."

"Abbey."

"You don't need to humour me."

"I'm not humouring you. I never did."

"I should have listened to you. I wouldn't have gotten into as much trouble then," she says regretfully.

Clark wonders what she means.

"That's kinda of a harsh mutation ya got there," Evan says.

"What mutation?" Abbey asks.

Evan points at his face trying to indicate what he means. "You know all the scabs and things."

Abbey's face falls and she runs off, crying.

Clark doesn't hesitate and hits Evan across the back of his head.

"Ow!" Evan complains because that seriously stung. "What was that for?"

"Because you're an insensitive moron," Clark criticises him.

"How?"

"That's not a mutation. That was plain old acne. She suffered from it since she was 12. The kids use to tease her. Call her 'Scabby Abbey'."

Kitty and Bobby burst out into giggles and Clark fixes the pair a severe glare. Sam shakes his head at them.

"Katherine, Robert," the Professor snaps. "It is not something we laugh at."

Kitty coughs. "I'm sorry Professor."

"I'm sorry too," Bobby offers because of the look he is receiving more than he actually means it.

"You should be," Lilandra says sternly. "You don't know what her low esteem drove her to do."

"What do you mean?" Clark asks. Abbey was his friend...and god he has really let himself lose touch with almost everyone here except Chloe now he thinks on it.

"You were her friend?" Lilandra queries from him.

Clark shrugs a little. "I was. We weren't hugely close but I always tried to protect her if I could from the taunts."

"Then go, talk to her," Lilandra suggests.

"It's alright if I...?" Clark seeks permission to enter their little community.

"Certainly," Lilandra permits. "Everyone who is a friend is welcome here. I make it one of my rules."

Clark chases after Abbey.

The Professor fixes Kitty, Bobby and Evan with a disapproving look. "Lilandra since we're here to help is there some _pleasant _task we can find for Shadowcat, Iceman and Spyke?" he queries with the inflexion of the word pleasant indicate he means something entirely unpleasant.

Lilandra grins evilly. "Oh I'm certain I can think of something."

Evan, Bobby and Kitty gulp nervously.

* * *

Clark follows Abbey into one of the buildings that have been built for accommodation and she vanishes into what he guesses is her room. He knocks gently on the flimsy looking door. "Abbey. It's Clark. Can I come in?"

"Go away!" she shouts through what Clark can hear is a sob.

"No," is Clark's distinct response to that. "Remember what I said, Abbey. About not listening to people. Evan is an insensitive ass and I hit him for you."

Clark hears shuffled footsteps approach the door and it is opened a crack with Abbey peering out. "Y-you hit him?" Abbey queries, surprised to hear that from Clark of all people.

"Well I slapped him across the back of the head," Clark refines the description. "So does that earn me the right to come in?"

Abbey muses over her choices for a minute before opening the door and letting Clark in. She wipes the tears from her eyes.

Clark looks around the room. It was very sparse. Bed, table, chair and a battered old wardrobe. "I apologise for Evan. He's my friend but sometimes he doesn't think before he speaks."

"I'm use to it," Abbey says in terribly sad acceptance.

"I'm sorry too."

"For?" Abbey asks confused.

"Not being around. Not keeping in touch at the very least. I've let too many of my connections to this place and to my friends wither."

"Your life moved on. So did mine...only not so good."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Does she? Abbey concludes she does if only because Clark was the one true friend she might have ever had. "You might want to sit," she suggests. "This could take awhile."

* * *

"Oh gross!" Kitty complains, utterly mortified by what she is having to do for recompense. "You just had to open your big mouth, Evan!" she snipes at him.

"I'm not the one who laughed!" Evan protests at her blaming this whole thing on him. "You too, Bobby!"

"You know if we could just use our powers..." Bobby begins to say

There is a cough. "Less arguing. More working," Lilandra commands from her supervisory position. "And no use of powers!" she insists upon. This is a punishment after all.

"She's worse than Logan," Kitty mutters.

"I so agree," Evan says.

"Ditto," Bobby says. Ugh, he'll never get the smell out. How can he go meet Chloe now, smelling of raw sewage?

Charles can't help but be amused. Lilandra had punished Evan and Kitty by having them assist in the upgrading of the sewerage systems of the farm. It had never been intended to cope with dealing with the combined waste of over 40 individuals over a prolonged period and was creaking, to put it mildly, under the strain. Meteors striking the ground hadn't helped. It meant that Kitty and Evan were down in the trench that had been dug out, now ankle deep in sewage as they help replace a section of pipe.

"So I believe someone promised me dinner," Lilandra teases lightly.

"And I intend to fulfil that promise. You free tonight?" Charles asks her.

Lilandra gasps. "Charles. Are you asking me on a date?" she feigns surprise.

"I believe I am asking a charming lady to share dinner and conversation with me. Is that what these kids call a date these days?"

"In my dictionary, yes."

"Then you may call it that...if you agree to my request."

"I'll have to think on it." Lilandra tilts her head off to the side before snapping it back round. "I have thought on it and I accept."

"I'm glad," Charles says with a warm, happy smile.

"Oh good god," Kitty complains. "I'm knee deep in stuff I don't even want to think about and those two are like planning a date out."

"I'm never listening to auntie O again," Evan swears since his auntie was the one who persuaded him to come today.

"You're in serious danger of crimping my dating chances here," Bobby complains.

"What did I say?" Lilandra barks at them, making herself sound annoyed. "Less talking. More working! Chop, chop!"

"Chop, chop," Kitty mutters under her breath in a mocking fashion. Honestly the woman has to be related to Logan and she's never getting the smell out. Someone, please shoot her.

* * *

Clark had listened carefully as Abbey told him about what happened with her mother with the kryptonite based plastic surgery. He asks the simple question. "Why, Abbey?"

"Because I was fed up of it."

"Fed up of...?"

"Being on the outside as life passed me by. You know what I mean Clark. You and I...we were never the main stream of the school."

"That's overrated. Trust me. I know."

"Being ostracised...you can't say it's a nice feeling."

"No. It's not. I experience it every day because I live with mutants and call them my friends and you know what I'm glad I do because the friendships I have are worth more than the superficial falsehood being in the main stream entails."

"I just wanted to be beautiful," Abbey says in a quiet whisper.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"I know that...now. God those 2 boys I kissed..." Abbey's face falls into her hands as the guilt nearly overwhelms her about the two people she inadvertently killed.

Clark moves over to where Abbey is sitting on her bed and bends down at his knees in front of her. He peels her hands away. "You didn't know," he says softly...or at least she said she didn't know the side-effects until after she had kissed them. As far as Clark could tell she was telling the truth.

"It doesn't make it better," she half-sobs.

"No. It doesn't," Clark is forced to agree from personal experience. "All you can do is try and live your life better from now on."

"Alone or with someone?" Abbey wonders, her expression indicating something...a want.

Clark sighs. "Abbey. I'm not the person to ask about that right now. I, uh, just broke up with my girlfriend this week."

"Oh," Abbey says, somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry," she apologises as she catches glimpse of the hurt in his face.

"I'm...learning to live with it," Clark says and he is. Slowly. "So I think it's been too long since you and I hanged out. Why don't we go do something?" he suggests, partially out of a need to distract himself from his pain and partially because he wants to renew his friendship with Abbey.

Abbey smiles lightly. "I would like that."

* * *

Later that day Clark finds himself walking down Smallville's main street with Abbey. There was a lot of damage still to be repaired yet people were trying to get on with their lives. It is heartening, Clark guesses, to see the resilience of people. His own heart is just a little too bruised at the minute to appreciate it fully.

His parents were still back at the mutant community. His father was trying to teach the basics of agriculture while his mother was just helping out generally. All the time spent at the mansion meant they had learned a few tricks in how to make a connection to people who would otherwise be extremely shut off.

Then there is, of course, the part where they raised him.

The Talon had managed to survive and was open so he and Abbey decide to drop in. Once inside Clark spots a familiar blond sitting with a brunette. He walks up to their table. "I wish I could say I was surprised but then again we all know you can't live without your hourly caffeine fix."

"Clark!" the blond cries happily as she leaps to her feet and hugs him.

"Hey, Chlo," he greets her softly.

Chloe spots Clark's friend. "Abbey?"

"Hi, uh, Chloe," Abbey says to her.

"Ahem," the brunette coughs annoyed at being ignored.

Clark rolls his eyes before he turns his attention to her. "Hello, Lois," he grudgingly greets her out of ingrained politeness. To state the obvious Lois had been discharged from hospital this week.

"Smallville," Lois returns curtly.

"How's the leg?" he asks her.

"Oh just peachy. The crutches are just a fashion accessory," she says sarcastically referencing her walking aids.

"I wasn't aware you had such a keen sense of fashion."

"Coming from the king of plaid that means absolutely nothing."

"Which is the same weight as your opinion carries."

Lois' eyebrows rise and Chloe worries for a moment that her cousin might use one of her crutches to smite Clark. To Chloe's surprise there is what appears to be a reluctant grin of admiration on Lois' face.

"Nice to see you have a backbone after all, Smallville," Lois compliments him.

"Well now I can sleep soundly," he replies with a deliberately snide attitude.

Before Clark and Lois can up the insults Chloe intervenes and gets Clark and Abbey to join her and her cousin at the table and moves the subject onto something a little more civilised.

During it Chloe manages to talk Clark and Abbey into joining her and Lois at home to spend an evening together. Lois may not admit this but she could do with some different company. Lois saw something terrible when those 2 Kryptonians murdered all those people and she still hasn't come to terms with it. Also there is the chance of Bobby joining them later and Chloe would definitely approve of that.

They soon get ready to leave. "You guys go ahead. We'll meet you outside," Chloe says since it takes a little longer with Lois' leg and Chloe wants to say something to her cousin in private. Once Clark and Abbey are gone she speaks. "Lo. I know you're going through a rough patch but can I ask you to try to be nice to Clark," she requests.

"Why?" Lois asks with a frown.

"Because he broke up with his girlfriend this week." Chloe had heard it from Bobby and not Clark but she guesses he just didn't feel like talking about it which is perfectly understandable.

Well Lois did guess that would explain Clark's sullen mood. "Alright. I'll go easy on the man fashion forgot," she agrees only because she knows break-ups suck.

"Thanks, Lo," Chloe says appreciatively.

"It's only because you're my favourite cousin."

"I'm your only cousin," Chloe says with a frown.

Lois' lips quirk up. "Really? Didn't know that," she says insincerely.

Chloe gives Lois the glare of death.

* * *

Clark, Abbey, Chloe and Lois pull up outside Chloe's house in Chloe's beloved little red beetle. Technically it was her father's house but he was still working abroad and she and Lois were living there. It had managed to survive the meteor shower intact. Chloe wasn't inclined to see it as a sign of anything.

Clark helps Lois out the car despite her protestations that she didn't need any help. In fact she said the same when he helped her in the car but despite how annoying Clark finds Chloe's cousin it is too ingrained in him to be helpful.

Lois hops toward the house on her crutches while Chloe gets the door for her cousin. The 4 are just debating what exactly they will do together when they stop as a brown haired teenager walks by chewing on a sandwich.

Chloe's and Lois' mouths hang open agape.

Abbey is confused.

Clark is too but can't help but notice the girl bears a resemblance to Lois.

The girl stops and blinks. She gives Clark a once over with her eyes as she swallows. She grins innocently as if butter would not melt in her mouth. "Hey sis. Hey couz," she says with a small wave.

Lois and Chloe almost shriek in reply. "Lucy?!"

* * *

_Author's Note: Ut oh. The younger Lane sister is in town. Clark's virtue may be in serious danger. So, yeah, this is going to be a take on the Lucy episode. In the end I thought that Jor-El and the Professor would just debate each other into a stalemate so really nothing gets settled. __Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Lucy brings trouble into town with her and Lilandra and Charles have that dinner date._


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Smallville is what it's name says it is. A small town, mostly a farming community. If not for Lionel Luthor building that Chemical Plant of his all those years ago it would be tiny.

It is not a place with the almost endless choice of eating establishments say Metropolis has and it has a couple fewer now after the meteor shower.

Still one of the more upmarket, though that's a relative term, ones had survived and was open as the town tried it's hardest to get itself back on its feet.

This restaurant was where Charles found himself after Lilandra insisted they have it anywhere but at the mutant community, grumbling that they couldn't have it at her home as they would never get peace or privacy.

Charles understood immediately what she meant from personal experience. His personal experience also meant he knew the community was in safe hands with Martha and Jonathan although he is pretty certain before they left Lilandra gave a stern warning to her charges to behave themselves. Failing that Kitty, Evan and Sam were there as well. Sam had at least managed not to get himself into trouble and had been his usual, polite, helpful self all day.

Lilandra had taken care of the bookings and had managed to get them a private table on a raised area at the back. It could be considered romantic.

Lilandra could be considered stunning. She had dressed herself in an elegant light purple dress, cut up the side to allow a clear view of a shapely leg. Her hair was elegantly styled, flowing elementally in waves of curls. If Charles wasn't in a wheelchair already she would have knocked him over when he got his first sight of her.

They order their starters and drinks and are waiting for them.

"This is my favourite restaurant," Lilandra comments, secretly smiling to herself at the thoughts she can pick up from Charles of admiration at her appearance. He didn't scrub up too bad either.

"If I may interject a supposition. You're biased."

"Oh," Lilandra says arching a perfectly maintained eyebrow. "In what way."

Charles leans forward and lowers his voice. "You own this restaurant."

Lilandra's mouth hangs slightly agape. "H-how d-did...?" she starts to asks, caught out.

Charles leans back and smiles lightly. "The younger Mr Kent has a promising career ahead of him as a reporter," he offers the explanation. In other words Clark did some research on her.

"Why would he investigate me?"

"You're living on what was once his home. Smallville is not a large place. It is the sort of place where almost everyone knows everyone else yet he had never heard of you until Chloe mentioned your name. You house and look after over 3 dozen mutants. From personal experience I know how expensive that is." In other words Clark saw something that didn't quite add up and did what any reporter does and tried to make it make sense.

"I'm not rich," Lilandra protests that description...or implied description.

"You're not poor either."

"A lot of it is tied up in property. My father loved to buy property. People will always need land he said. People will always want a little piece of something to own for themselves. Stock markets may rise and fall but land is always there. It's the one thing they don't make more of."

Charles can sense some ambiguity in her feelings as she talked about her father. "I apologise if I've offended you in any way. That was not my intention."

"I'm not offended. Surprised, yes," she admits. "Besides who said I haven't i_nvestigated_ you," she says with a flirtatious playful tone. "So what else did the resourceful Mr Kent find out?" she wonders.

"You're not a native of Smallville."

"No."

"Yet you are a meteor mutant."

"You wish to know how I gained my powers."

"You did suggest this as a means of us getting to know each other," Charles reminds her.

"I did," Lilandra concedes. She pours herself a drink of water from the jug on the table, raises her glass to her lips and takes a small drink. "It's easy to assume I was in town that day," she starts her story off.

"That seems to happen to an amazing number of people," Charles knows from talking to Clark, Martha and Jonathan about their experiences. Smallville was almost like some kind of metaphysical nexus that just drew people in to be there at the exact right time...or wrong time depending on your point of view.

"I was a young woman accompanying her father who had decided it was time, as his sole heir, that she started learning the family business."

"Buying and selling property," Charles assumes since from Clark's research he knew the family business was mostly real estate "In Smallville?" he queries since it doesn't seem like the most conducive place to make a lot of money.

"Lionel Luthor was building his chemical plant. This place was about to go through a rapid expansion and property boom. My father wanted to be in on it."

"Then the meteors fell from the sky."

Lilandra takes a moment to compose herself as the memories come back to her of the fire that fell from the heavens. "I don't remember very much of that day. Scattered pieces really. My next coherent memory is waking up in hospital several days later covered in bandages, especially my head. They had had to remove several pieces of meteor rock that had been embedded in my skull. They shaved all my hair off in the process," she says with a small pout as she runs her hand through her long hair.

Charles is sympathising while trying not to laugh at how upset she was about losing her hair. He is beginning to get how she became a telepath though. Meteor rock in her skull, close to her brain. Even if he doesn't yet have an understanding quite how the meteors do what they do he can begin to see how it started for Lilandra. "Was it immediate?"

"That I started hearing voices?"

Charles nods.

"It's hard to say. It took me awhile to cotton on to the fact I was hearing voices even when no-one was speaking. At first it was only people in close proximity to me I could hear but as the weeks passed my range seemed to increase more and more until I could hear hundreds all at the same time and I couldn't shut them out. No matter what I did or where I went I could hear them, pressing into me all the time. Felt like I was going insane. For a brief moment I contemplated not being able to endure it any longer."

As she speaks a tear trickles down her cheek at the painful memory.

Charles reaches over and takes her hand into his own and gives it a gentle squeeze as well as sending soothing thoughts telepathically to her.

Lilandra wipes the tear away and smiles sadly. "But I probably don't have to tell you what it was like do I?"

"No," Charles says quietly as he remembers the difficulty of his own emerging powers. It was partially why he set up his school so that other mutants wouldn't have to endure it alone as he had.

They pause their conversation as their starters are brought.

"So what happened?" Charles asks her because she obviously didn't choose to end it.

"I overheard my father planning to lock me up at some mental institute. I had become an embarrassment to the family."

That sounds remarkably like what happened to Emma, Charles muses.

"It's hard to give a reason but I simply chose that that wasn't going to happen. My fate had already been altered once by forces beyond my control. I would not allow it to happen twice so by sheer force of will I took control of my powers but the damage had been done."

"What damage?"

"I had heard my father's thoughts and learned what truly motivated him. His primary one wasn't love for me."

"I'm sorry," Charles says. "I understand, truly. My father...was not the most pleasant of people," he chooses to phrase it as.

Lilandra can sense Charles is understating that. "Yes, well I decided to choose a more...gentile path than my father. I would use my money to make the world better...as foolishly naïve as that sounds."

"It's not foolish," Charles assures her.

"I invested a lot of it in Smallville which, at the time, was still recovering from the 1st meteor shower although my name was never attached to it. Knowing my father would never approve I did much of it behind his back. Then I must admit my attention got diverted away from Smallville. I could sense so much. The plight so many in the world face. I set up charitable organisations to do humanitarian work across the world and that took up my time. That is also where most of my liquid cash is currently tied up in."

"Most noble," Charles says. He admires people who genuinely devote their time, effort and money to doing good works. "That being the case though, how did you end up leading Smallville's mutant community?"

"Like many of us I watched the news the day the X-Men fought the Sentinels in New York and wondered what fate awaited us. Nicely played in Congress by the way," she praises him.

"Thank you. Although it was not the circumstances I would have wished for mutants to be revealed."

"I continued to watch carefully everything that was going on when I saw a report about Smallville and how a couple dozen mutants had ended up living on the vacated Kent farm...well squatting would be more accurate. I could see where it was heading. They were leaderless, hiding in fear and being feared. A violent episode was a strong possibility but more than that. They were my kin. I was no different from them. I was created the same way and unlike my father I would not make the choice to discard them as useless so I came to Smallville and took charge so I could protect them. I wish I could do more to make their lives better than they are but I just don't have the liquid cash at the moment...and Lex doesn't help."

"Lex?"

"I've been trying to arrange to buy the land from the bank for months but Lex keeps blocking me for whatever reason. I don't know what he is thinks he is trying to accomplish," Lilandra complains in obvious frustration.

Charles frowns. He can't see what Lex is trying to accomplish either. He may have to have a chat with the younger Luthor in the near future. The very least he can try and assist Lilandra in her attempts to buy the farmland and secure a home for her community. He takes a moment to assess her. When he asked about Lilandra, from Chloe before their first meeting, Chloe has said Lilandra reminded her of him and he can see what she meant. They had both seen and felt the pain of others and decided to try and address it.

Lilandra was a woman of remarkable inner strength and whereas Emma fell to only concern herself with herself Lilandra took the almost opposite path even when they started from remarkably similar positions. You have to wonder what it was that made the difference in their life outcomes.

"Well I think I've bored you enough with my life story," Lilandra lightens the mood with her tone.

"It is not boring, I assure you," Charles says sincerely and he brushes a finger over the hand he is still holding.

Lilandra smiles at his touch and even blushes a little. It's been...well it's been never she has told anyone that story. Charles is the first to hear it. She has kept it all bottled up for nearly 15 years. It feels nice to tell it to someone and more than that to someone who can understand her struggles. Although she only skimmed over them. She is not ready to be that open although it's possible Charles could be the one she is that open with. "As pleasant as this is perhaps we should move on to our more business related concerns," Lilandra suggests.

"Of course," Charles agrees. They do have to much talk about about how he can help with the situation here in Smallville. Even as they do change subjects though his hand remains gently attached to hers.

* * *

**The next morning...**

Clark had gotten up bright and early to have a shower. He was still at Chloe's house, fulfilling his promise to keep her and Lois company. Abbey had stuck around and Bobby had joined them and Clark's eyes had almost watered at the stink of raw sewage emanating from the ice-generator. Of course Clark's sense of smell is much more sensitive than most people so in reality it probably wasn't that strong.

Bobby and Chloe...Clark didn't get it but whereas Bobby's humour tended to irritate most people it seemed to make Chloe laugh and smile so Clark guesses he'll live with it.

It hadn't been a bad evening...apart from Lois' interrogation of her younger sister. Apparently Lucy went AWOL from this private music school in Switzerland a few months back. According to Chloe, Lucy is actually a very talented violinist...if she would just find the focus and dedication required to see it through.

Anyway Lois is, to put it mildly, furious at her sister...but Clark sensed more. A sort of sad resignation in Lois' tone as if she keeps expecting better of Lucy only to have been repeatedly disappointed.

And Clark gets the feeling Lucy's explanation of 'needing a break' ain't exactly the whole story...in fact he doubts it's the story at all. He may be getting cynical.

Clark also doesn't have the energy to care a whole bunch. The pain of his break-up with Rogue is still raw. He's going to excuse himself as soon as he can and head off. He still has to have a detailed talk to his parents about that whole part-time training with Jor-El.

Clark turns the shower off, exits and dries himself off before wrapping the towel around his waist. He manages to do this one second before the bathroom door opens to find a certain brunette dressed in a pair of Chloe's pyjamas. "Lucy?"

Lucy's eyes hungrily look Clark's chiselled physique over. Chloe had said he had broken up with his girlfriend. What a moron she must be to have given up _that _body! "Sorry. Didn't know anyone was in here," she says with a too innocent tone that no-one, not even Clark, would buy.

"I'm done," he says not in the mood for a conversation. Clark grabs his clothes from the pile on the floor and heads for the exit and Lucy doesn't quite move far enough out of the way forcing him to brush past her.

Lucy watches him go. "Yummy," she growls under her breath. If she knew her sister and cousin were hanging out with hotness like that she would have dropped by weeks ago. He said he was done. He can _do _her any time he wants. If only she had been 1 minute earlier she figures he and she could have _shared _a shower. She can imagine licking all the water off those washboards.

Lucy lets out a pleasant sigh. As nice an idea as it would be to tangle between the sheets with the farmboy she can't forget what she is really here for and once she has done that maybe that will, finally, get her father's attention.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Claire was chewing her breakfast slowly as she watched Marie show off what she bought yesterday, when the two of them went shopping, to some of the others. Claire's not a shopaholic by any stretch of the imagination but spending time with her girlfriend she would never say no to. Anyway back to what Marie bought. A new set of Tarot cards. She was reading the fortunes of the others here and Claire was wondering if Marie really knew how to work them. She looked like she did but Claire didn't know for certain. Had never asked to be honest with herself. Seems weird since it is Marie's whole theme and the basis of her powers that she hasn't asked before.

Claire breaks off a bit of toast and feeds it to the small purple creature perched on her shoulder. With Kitty gone she was looking after Lockheed. After Kitty, Claire was the one Lockheed seemed to like the most and Claire found she quite liked the little dragon. She tickles his chin with her finger.

Claire's attention is drawn to the door as Rogue wanders in. She had never been particularly close to Rogue and now that the Goth girl had broken up with her brother Claire saw no reason to start now. Although if Rogue doesn't drop the bitchy attitude Claire doesn't care how much hurt Rogue is going through Claire will inflict a hell of a lot more.

Rogue only stays long enough to grab something to eat and leave. The couple of others here leave shortly after leaving Marie and Claire alone.

"You know break-ups hurt. You should take it easy on her," Marie advises, spotting her girlfriend's intense expression.

Claire's orange eyes turn to her girlfriend and she cocks her head to the side in curiosity. "She's still alive isn't she," she dead-pans.

Marie laughs lightly. "She is but trust me they do hurt. I know. I've been there."

"Someone at Frost's Academy?"

Marie shakes her head. "Someone back home. It's...it was my first romance. I was still trying to figure out my sexuality. She helped me do that so in that way I was grateful but it still hurt when it ended."

Claire doesn't know what to say. "I wish I had the words. I'm not really good at this. I grew up on the streets. Survival was more pressing than thinking of romance."

Marie reaches over and rubs Claire's arm. "That's why you have me sweetie," she assures her girlfriend.

Claire grins. "And I'm glad. So what does our future hold? Happy ever after?" she asks pointing at Marie's cards.

Marie smiles grimly. "I can never see my own future but I can divine the parts of yours that doesn't involve me directly if you wish."

"Sure," Claire shrugs.

Marie shuffles her cards and lays them out on the table face down. "Pick one," she says.

Claire reaches over and turns one over.

"Huh," Marie muses.

"What?"

"Seems you'll going on a trip to reconcile a part of your past. I see a man...a preacher. He meant something to you."

Claire looks on amazed. "How did you...I've never mentioned him."

"The cards show me. Pick another."

Claire turns another over.

"You'll meet someone. Someone whose heart burns with an anger she shares with you. An Angel of Vengeance and you'll have a choice to make. Side with her or side with your brother. It won't be as easy a choice as you believe."

"You're really seeing something aren't you," Claire realises as Marie's eyes have whitened over.

"The cards show me."

"Show you what?"

"I pick a card and the fog lifts and I see that which hasn't happened yet."

"You...you really see the future through these cards?"

"Did you think it was just a weird aesthetic I chose?" Marie asks about what Claire thought as to why she chose Tarot cards to animate.

"Kinda, yeah," Claire is ashamed to admit. "Did Frost know?"

"She was more interested in the constructs I create but I can't say she didn't know. She never asked me to divine her future though."

Claire really didn't know this until right now. She turns another card over, wanting to know what else Marie can see.

"Oh dear," Marie forebodes.

"What?"

"We'll be meeting our former team-mates," she says grimly. Marie can't say she is looking forward to that. "Can't see when exactly but my guess is soon...soon-ish."

"Well screw them," Claire states bluntly. "I ain't working for people who work for my father." Claire reaches over and takes Marie's hands into hers. "We'll get through them. We don't belong with them."

"I know. I...the outcome is hard to see. The further I look ahead the less I see. Something is rising that clouds everything."

"What?"

"I don't know. What I do know...what I feel is that we should be afraid. All of us should be very, very afraid."

Claire moves round and pulls Marie into a hug. "I'll never let anything happen to you," she whispers her promise.

"Claire...I'm not sure any of us have the power to stop it," Marie whispers back, her voice trembling in terror. She can't see it but she can feel this terrible darkness on the horizon drawing closer and closer and she fears it will consume them all. Something dark and terrible is rising.

Claire tightens her embrace. She doesn't have the words like she said so she can only use actions. As if in response to the emotions being expressed Lockheed gently wraps his tail around both girl's neck's and 'purrs' softly.

* * *

**Smallville...**

Clark and his parents were sitting inside the x-jet so they could have their private conversation about Jor-El and Clark's training.

"Are you sure, son?" Jonathan asks that Clark really wants to do this.

"No...but lets face facts dad, I need help and Jor-El is the only one I can turn to," Clark replies referencing his mental state.

"That's not true," Martha argues. "The Professor could help."

"He may have gotten into my mind thanks to Dr Strange but he doesn't know anything about Kryptonian neural architecture or our psychology. I mean come on mom, Kal managed to actually escape my mind for awhile when Rogue absorbed me. That's a whole new level of screwiness."

Ok Martha must admit she has a hard time shooting down that argument. "Jor-El said you wouldn't be the same," she expresses her worries.

"Mom...the alternative is worse. You don't know what it's like for me at the moment trying to keep everything in my head in order. Sooner or later I'm going to slip. I'm willing to accept the price if it brings order to my mind. Besides I can guarantee one thing. No matter the effect I will still be your son. Clark Kent isn't being destroyed. He's just going to be...modified...slightly...I think."

Martha isn't seeing how that is particularly reassuring in any way.

"For argument's sake lets go with we accept you need to spend time with Jor-El, how would you fit it in, Clark?" Jonathan asks.

"Well I don't have a girlfriend any more now do I," Clark says glumly, implying how that has freed up his time. "It was like I was saying earlier in the week. I need to focus on the priorities. Going up to the Fortress is likely to be a weekend thing since that is really the only days of the week I can spare to run off up there."

"And what about the X-Men?" Jonathan asks since Clark had said he was thinking about dropping his involvement with them in the sense of the X-Men's regular training.

"Like I was saying; priorities. I'll always help them if they need it but something has just got to give somewhere," Clark argues. Even for him time is finite. "And lets face a practical reality. Me and Rogue in close proximity right now, not conducive to good team cohesiveness."

That was hard to argue too.

"Look maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I start this training with Jor-El and realise I can fit X-Men duties in. At the very least I think I should take a break until Rogue and I can be in the same room and have a civil conversation."

That was another thing that was hard to argue.

"Well at least hold off telling the Professor until we get home tonight," his mother advises in the hope he spends the day thinking on it more.

"Ok," Clark agrees.

"So Lois has a sister?" Jonathan inquires about something Clark mentioned when he got back earlier.

"A younger one, yes," Clark confirms grumpily.

"What's the matter, honey?" Martha asks at his grumpy tone and demeanour.

"I know I can be a little naïve at times but Lucy is not subtle."

Martha's lips curve up in a teasing grin. "She was...hitting on you I believe the term is these days."

"Practically throwing herself at me would be more accurate."

"You refused I hope," Jonathan says sternly in that commanding fatherly tone.

"Yes!" Clark insists. Lucy is pretty but he's not interested.

"Just checking. People in emotional pain can make silly decisions," Jonathan says and is obviously hinting at the times Clark has made such decisions.

"I know. I've made my fair share of them but trust me dad. You raised me well enough not to make that mistake. Heck even when I was doped up on red kryptonite for 3 months in Metropolis I never...Rogue's been the only one."

Martha and Jonathan had never pushed too hard for details on what he did in Metropolis. It's good to hear that even drugged as he was he wasn't that foolish.

* * *

The next major event that Sunday was later, in the afternoon, when Chloe called Clark to tell him about a man who came looking for Lucy. After some gentle persuasion Lucy had confessed he was some sort of loan shark who had followed her all the way from Europe.

She didn't go AWOL from her music school. She had ran away from this guy to whom she owns $50,000.

Lucy's sob story(Chloe's words, not Clark's) is that she borrowed the money first off so she could keep up with her rich classmates.

A few moments later Clark shows up at Chloe's door, offering his help if he can. "Where's Lucy?" he asks as Chloe invites him in and they sit round her kitchen table.

"At Lex's," Chloe answers, her tone clearly showing how she does not approve.

"What?" Clark asks, perplexed by how she is at Lex's.

"When Lucy got fed up of Lois yelling at her she went off into Smallville and bumped into Lex and managed to talk herself into showing off her music skills for him up at his mansion. She at least phoned and told me where she was going," Chloe summarises the story.

"Where's Lois?"

"Up in her room brooding. If I didn't know better I would think you have been giving her lessons."

Clark rolls his eyes at Chloe's little smirk. "Has Lucy always been like this?" he asks.

Chloe sighs. "I think it started after her and Lois' mother died but this is on a new level. I don't think she is telling us the whole story."

"Why?"

"This guy chased her from Europe. That's a hell of a long way to come even for a shifty loan shark who wants his money."

"Do you know who this guy is?"

"Lucy wasn't forthcoming on his name."

"Lucy is not forthcoming about a lot of things." Chloe and Clark turn their heads to see Lois hop in on her crutches. "What are you doing back here, Smallville?" she asks.

"Chloe told me about the loan shark showing up," Clark gives as the only explanation he can.

"Thanks for the concern but this a family thing," Lois says quite rudely.

"Lois! Clark is only wanting to help!" Chloe complains at her cousin.

"Look Lois, I may not know everything that is going on but even last night you seemed grumpier than usual. Aren't you happy at all to see your sister?" Clark asks.

"Of course I am," Lois says overly defensively. "But here's the thing about sisters, Smallville. You can love them without liking them very much."

"I have a sister, Lois," Clark points out showing he does get that.

"Since when?" Lois wants to know. He didn't have a sister last time they met.

"Uh, very recently. It's complicated and a long story. If you want the summary when my mother was younger, before she met my father, she had a daughter with another man that she gave up for adoption and well turns out, by luck having it, she is one of the mutants who attends the Institute. Only like I said we only discovered that very recently," he gives the story that in fact he and his parents have been working on so they all can publicly acknowledge Claire to be part of the family.

Lois takes a minute to absorb that before saying, "Well good for you I guess."

"Your ardent enthusiasm is killing me," Clark drawls sarcastically.

"Does she like you?"

"Well she says I have a shitty sense of humour but apart from that I like to think so."

"I agree about your humour and when did you start swearing?"

"From her. She swears...a lot. She grew up on the streets."

"Oh. My point is your sister may like you, mine does not...not that I really blame her."

"Lois," Chloe feels she should argue that. "Look I don't deny you're rough around the edges but Lucy could do a hell of a lot worse."

"Thanks Chlo," Lois says, feeling closer to her cousin than she does to her sister. "But we both know what happened after mom died. Dad had two daughters he didn't know how to deal with so he did what every good military leader does. He instituted a chain of command. I reported to him..."

"And Lucy reported to you," Clark picks up the chain of thinking.

"Yeah. That takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level. I had to make sure she had 3 square meals, went to school, did her homework..."

"You became her mother."

"Uncle Sam should never have done that," Chloe criticises her uncle. "You were no more than a kid yourself Lois."

Lois sighs sadly. "Yeah. I so was not prepared for that. I tried to give her advice about boys and stuff...which maybe wasn't the best advice ever and she may have had a few more chores to do than most kids," she reflects sadly on mistakes she might have made.

"Is that why she chose to attend this music school?" Clark asks as in did she choose to take it to get away.

"Unlike your family Smallville, there was no discussion. The General made the decision and gave the order and like a good little soldier you're expected to follow it out."

"Harsh," is all Clark can say.

"Trust me, Lucy got the better end of it," Lois says a little bitter sounding almost. "Don't get me wrong Lucy is genuinely talented and has grades that most people would kill for. She earned her way into that school. I'm just a little jealous she got out and I remained trapped with daddy."

Clark looks to Chloe whose expression is one of deep sadness and sympathy for her cousin. Clark feels that they need to do something. "Look your sister's in trouble whether she wants to admit it or not."

"The way she walked out of here earlier you can go with not," Lois tells him.

"The point is lets go to Lex's, get her and help her out of this mess."

"What makes you think I want to?" Lois asks him.

"Like you said Lois, you don't have to like your sister to love her."

Lois makes a face at him. "No fair throwing my words back at me," she complains.

"Correct me if I'm wrong Chlo but that wasn't a no was it?"

"Nope," Chloe can confirms because she knows Lois will go to Lex's and help Lucy whether her cousin wants it or not.

"Side with him why don't you," Lois complains. "Ok. We'll go but to make it clear it is not because you said so Smallville."

"Whatever you say Lois," Clark replies in a tone that shows how he is not believing her.

"I also wish to make it clear I don't like you."

Clark folds his arms across his chest. "Oh dear however will I sleep at night knowing that," he dead-pans perfectly.

Chloe giggles at the two of them. It was better than Comedy Central.

* * *

When Clark, Chloe and Lois reach the Luthor Mansion they find Lucy playing a duet with Lex on the piano.

"Bravo, Lucy. Excellent performance," Lois cheers sarcastically and she gives a fake slow clap.

Lucy rolls her eyes in annoyance as she lowers her violin from her chin to hold it at her side. "What's this? Do we involve near strangers in our family problems these days?" she complains, gesturing at Clark.

"What is going on?" Lex demands to know.

"Lucy owes a guy in Switzerland $50,000 dollars and he's in town to collect," Lois says snidely.

Lex's eyebrows rise slightly. He gets up and moves over to his drinks cabinet. "Now Lucy, how does a girl like you get involved with a loan shark?" he asks as he pours himself a drink.

"I just want to know what the hell she was thinking," Lois demands to know, her voice rising since Lucy refused to explain herself. "I mean what were you planning to do? Stand on street corners playing your violin for loose change?"

"And is it any wonder I don't visit more often?!" Lucy retorts angrily.

"Looks Lucy I don't want to have to tell the General..."

"You're not my mother! Stop acting like it," Lucy snarls.

"Don't you dare bring mom into this!" Lois yells at her sister.

"Ladies! Please!" Lex interjects himself. That gets the two Lanes to be quiet. He is now regretting letting Lucy talk him into letting her come. "Now first off Lucy I wouldn't blame your sister or cousin for Clark being here. He can't help himself when it comes to people needing to be saved," he says in a tone that shows he isn't meaning that as a compliment.

Clark glares at Lex for that.

"I didn't ask for his or anyone else's help. I'm a big girl. I can handle this," Lucy insists.

"$50,000 is a lot to handle, even for a 'big girl'," Lex says.

"Yeah, well, I guess that is my problem," Lucy says and starts to walk out.

"Lucy, before you go why don't you tell me what happened? I have the resources to deal with these sort of people," Lex offers his assitance.

"And what do you get out of it?" Lois asks bluntly not believing Lex is doing anything altruistically.

"Family harmony," Lex says with a smirk.

* * *

"What are you getting out of this?" Clark asks Lex. Lucy had told her story and she, Lois and Chloe had departed leaving Clark alone with his...friend although these days that is stretching the definition.

"You're getting cynical Clark," Lex observes.

"No. Observant. When Lucy mention this guy's name I saw it on your face. You know him."

"I'll have to remember to work on my poker face," Lex remarks. "And no I don't know Marcus Becker. I know the people he works for," Lex corrects Clark's assumption. "A German crime syndicate headed by a twin brother and sister. I've been trying to buy a hotel in Zurich and they've been blocking me at every turn."

"And if you can catch this guy then you can get some leverage on them," Clark works out.

"That school's been good for you, Clark," Lex says what sounds like a compliment at the fact Clark made that deduction.

"Since when did you move into the hotelier sector?"

"I'm diversifying the company. My father had focussed it far too narrowly on his obsessions."

"I should have known you wouldn't be doing this out of the goodness of your heart," Clark says about the fact Lex did actually volunteer to help but sad at that it seems Lex is simply using this situation to gain something for himself.

"My heart is not an area you want to raise with me Clark," Lex warns him off.

"Lana," Clark guesses.

"You did promise me that your friends would find and rescue her," Lex reminds him.

"We're working on it."

"We?" Lex inquires about Clark including himself.

"I care for Lana too, Lex. Don't think I don't. I wish more than anyone we had saved her by now."

"As I said, this is not an area you wish to raise with me nor will I discuss it. Go home, Clark," Lex says coldly. "I'll get the Lane sisters out of their trouble. Rest assured about that."

Clark can't rest assured since Lex is only helping them because it is benefiting him. He can also see Lex no longer wishes to talk to him. Their friendship was somewhere between a mess to non-existent. He turns and exits. He finds the Lane/Sullivan clan sitting outside in the hallway. Lois and Lucy were not talking to each other. In fact they were so frigid to each other the atmosphere Clark almost felt like he was back in the frigid cold of his Fortress of Solitude.

Clark pulls Chloe away a distance so they can talk privately. Even then they talk in low whispers. They are in Lex's house after all.

"So what was Lex saying?" Chloe asks.

"Not much. He told me to go home."

Chloe can see how Clark would be sad about that. "Lana?" she queries about the cause.

"Partially. We haven't exactly stayed in touch since I left either."

"People come in and go out of our lives Clark. It's life."

Clark guesses it is. Doesn't make it easier. "What about your cousins?"

"Oy," Chloe groans. "They'll get over this. They're sisters. Despite it all they do love each other. As for this situation I think they'll go along with Lex's plan," she gives her opinion.

Lex's idea being to seemingly give Becker his money but have it bugged so they can track him down. "Do you want me to stay?" Clark offers his help.

"For once Clark I don't think you can fix this. As much as I don't like working with Lex his idea has merit."

"He's doing it for himself. To gain leverage over some German crime syndicate," Clark informs her.

"Why I am not surprised," Chloe sadly accepts that too easily. "Still makes sense if it gets them off Lucy's back though," she also has to accept. "You could find Becker and beat him up all you want Clark but unless this crime syndicate chooses not to pursue Lucy they'll just send someone else after her."

Clark frowns. Chloe's right. He can't stop this by catching this guy himself. It needs someone to use it to apply pressure to the people higher up the food chain and as much as he hates to admit it Lex is the best they've got for that job right now.

"Go home, Clark," Chloe permits him to leave. "This could take a day or more to fix. We'll manage."

"Ok," he accepts. "However if anything happens phone me. I can get here in half an hour...at a push," he offers.

Chloe smiles at him. Despite his current pain caused by his break-up he's still willing to be there for his friends. He really is a Superman.

* * *

_Author's Note: Felt like a good time to fill in a little of Lilandra's backstory. Yes it was an absolute misjudgement on Lucy's part she just barged in on a half naked Clark...not. Tarot's gift does extend beyond manifesting psionic constructs to being able to see the future through her cards. She never lived long enough in the comics to have that explained fully as in is there is a mystical side to her powers? Really going through the motions of Lucy is just a good excuse to bring Lex back into the story. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark makes his final choice about his X-Men duties and I finish off the story of Lucy._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It had been a productive weekend for the small group from the Xavier Institute in many ways. It had strengthened the links that were being formed with Smallville's mutant community. Hank had spent the weekend trying to aid those with the more difficulty mutations and had taken several tissue samples to take back with him to study. He actually had little data on meteor mutants since Volcana had been the only one he had met. With more data he can start to decipher the key to how kryptonite mutations work.

Martha and Jonathan's presence had helped improve, for at least some of the mutants, their impression of humans.

Jonathan and Sam had imparted their combined knowledge of farming...or as much of it as they could in 2 days.

In Smallville, as in too many places, the mutants had to take the abuse from the small section of the population that disliked mutants and that can create a resentment back. It is a resentment Magneto and Emma use all too well to recruit their followers.

Kitty, Evan and Bobby had done various tasks like helping with the sewer upgrades to going out with a team of Smallville's mutants to help in the rebuilding of the town. Despite complaining they still went out there and helped and Charles felt that said a lot about who they were deep down.

Clark had done what he could but the Chloe, Lois and Lucy situation took up a lot of his time as he had to fake realistic time spans for him to get around so as to not raise suspicion about himself...and since Lilandra is a telepath not hanging around her too much had been a main aim of his so she wouldn't_ look_ at him too closely and realise his mind is unreadable. His working theory on why she just didn't notice it right away is Wanda's spell. As he recalls Dr Strange's description of it, it works by making people not look too closely at 'Clark Kent'. Perhaps that includes telepaths looking at his mind.

As for Charles 2 days spent in Lilandra's company felt like no time at all. It had passed too quickly. Both of them would like to spend more time together but they had their respective responsibilities to return to. Charles has his school. Lilandra has her community. They just had to live with what time together they could have.

They say their farewells this Sunday evening. "As I promised Lilandra, we shall not forget you," Charles says reaffirming his pledge.

"I certainly hope not...especially for one person in particular," she pouts with a saucy wink at him.

Charles can't stop himself smiling. "Perhaps one day you can visit my Institute."

"I would like that," Lilandra says, smiling like a little girl.

"Farewell," Charles says before they all they say their farewells. Clark makes a particular effort to say farewell to Abbey since he was working on patching up their friendship. They then all get into the x-jet and head for home.

On the flight back Charles realises Hank is looking at him with a particular expression. "Stop giving me that look, Henry," he warns his friend off.

"What look would that be?" Hank asks back.

"That one," Charles points at Hank's face. "That insufferable smug one."

"Oh would that be because I was correct in my assessment of you and the delightfully charming Ms Neramani," Hank says having said to Charles his view on what was going on between his old friend and Lilandra.

"Stop giving me that look," Charles grumbles.

From behind there are several giggly people having a highly amusing time all at the Professor's expense.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

This sucks.

It was Rogue's immediate feeling after she and Clark broke up and it still is her feeling. Worse still she really didn't know how to act around him so had been trying to avoid him. Kitty had made the point that she was coming across as a little bitchy.

Well maybe she was but for anyone who knows Rogue should know that she can be a lot bitchy if she wanted to.

Living with your ex is a bitch.

Seeing him every day is just a reminder of the pain and hurt he caused. Rogue knows she isn't blameless for what happened but she isn't solely responsible either.

And Clark was her first serious boyfriend...and they had been really serious. She doesn't sleep with just anyone. The point is he was her first serious boyfriend so this is her first major break-up. Can she therefore, please, get some frickin slack if she seems a little bitchy at the moment.

The one good aspect of it Rogue supposes is that her family has stuck with her for support.

Family.

God that is still strange to think about the fact she has an actual family. Kurt is the annoyingly little brother. Dom is the...uh...Dom is her sister. There is a lack of words in the dictionary to ascribe descriptive terms to Dom. Logan...god even Logan has took the effort to be around for her this last week. Rogue's not certain if she will ever daily call him 'dad' but she would rather have Logan as her father than Mystique as her mother.

Mystique's revelation Rogue is still trying to come to terms with. She can't accept...she won't accept Mystique's gall at calling herself Rogue's mother. Mothers don't essentially abandon you for 12 years and then only show up when your powers develop and they realise they can use you.

Heck Rogue would much rather have Storm as her mother...

That makes her pause. If Storm and Logan's relationship progresses far enough Storm could become her mother. Rogue would have no problem with that she believes. This week Storm has also been here supporting her and they have gotten closer.

Rogue shakes her head. She is getting way ahead of the current situation. Logan and Storm are only dating.

Just then her thinking is interrupted by a knock on her door. She was in her room brooding. Yes she knows what Kitty would say and Rogue would respond with 'Shut it Kitty!'.

Rogue slides off her bed, walks over and opens the door. She is surprised to find it is Clark. He can't be long back. "Hi," she says coolly.

"Hey," Clark says gently. "So...how are you?"

Rogue looks at him and squints her eyes slightly as if not believing what she is seeing in front of her.

"Please say this is as awkward for you as it is for me?" Clark requests.

The goofy expression on his face confirms to Rogue that it is Clark. "It is," she confirms.

"I'm not meaning to add to it. I'm just here to let you know that I'm taking a break from the X-Men."

"Ya...ya are?" Rogue queries in surprise.

"Yeah," he confirms. He had spent a little more time thinking on it because his parents requested him to but his mind is made up. For now he believes it best he just...well takes a break like he said.

"Because of us?" Rogue guesses.

"Partly. I also need to create some time to go spend training up at the Fortress. Once I sort that out and if I can find time to take on the X-Men duties then I will. Rogue...we need time away from each other to heal."

Rogue couldn't argue that.

"I hope one day, when the pain subsides, we can still be friends," Clark expresses his wish.

Rogue doesn't reply to that one right away.

Clark is a little stung by her non-response. "Anyway...before I go how is it going with your powers?" he is curious to know.

"Uh...ah'm still working on figuring it out. Ya know tha trigger. Tha Professor thinks with practice ah should beh able ta control exactly how much ah absorb so ah, ya know, don't knock people out," Rogue gives the current state of them. In other words she just needs to keep practising.

"That's good. You deserve that," Clark means genuinely. "I'll go. Have a good night Rogue." Clark turns and starts walking away.

"Clark! Wait!" Rogue shouts after him.

Clark stops and turns his head to gaze at her.

"About what ya were saying. Ah hope we can beh friends again as well," she lets him know.

Clark smiles slightly. He would like that very much.

* * *

Down in the infirmary Ororo and Scott are talking X-Men business. She is temporarily in charge of the X-Men but Scott will be fit enough in the New Year to start taking over again so she keeps him up to date. She is just telling him what Clark told her about taking a break.

"I can't say I'm happy but I can see why he is doing it," Scott says.

Ororo too could see why. It can be hard to work closely in a team when you have raw emotional wounds exposed. "Do we consider a replacement?" she wonders. "Many of the New Mutants are quite proficient now and as much as I hate to say it Emma had done a good job with Volcana and Tarot. They are very good."

Well Scott will begrudgingly have to admit Emma had trained Tarot and Volcana well. "I don't think we have to rush a decision. In fact I want to wait until we see who comes in the New Year and then do some reorganising of the teams," Scott says in reference to the new group that will come. The last time he and the Professor talked about it the hope was to get them in place for the restart of school after the holidays.

"Reorganising?" Ororo queries.

"Even if only a few come the New Mutants will get to be so large to be unwieldy and they are all at different skill levels. Some much more advanced than others and progressing faster than others."

"You wish to split them into 2 smaller teams more reflective of their respective skill levels," Ororo picks up on Scott's thinking.

Scott nods to confirm this is his thinking. "We can have a proper reserve team for the X-Men and one for the newer recruits and ones who are struggling to progress forward."

"Makes sense," Ororo agrees. "But it shouldn't be some hard and fast dividing line between them. Being fluid and flexible is important for the threats we face," she argues.

Scott could see her point. Being able to move people around whose powers and skills might be better able to tackle a particular threat is a prudent approach. In fact if you take Rogue and Clark's situation you could drop people down from the X-Men into this 'reserve'(they'll need to come up with a proper name at some point) when perhaps someone needs a break from the extra duties of being an X-Man because of personal issues for example or they simply do need a break or aren't quite holding themselves to X-Men levels for whatever reason. Hmm, now Scott has had the idea he can really see the benefits of it. He has a few weeks to think it over and work out the finer details.

Scott and Ororo are joined by the Professor as he enters the infirmary. He seems to have an intense expression on his face.

"Separation anxiety?" Ororo queries.

Charles looks at her with a puzzled look.

"From being away from Lilandra," she qualifies with a teasing grin.

"You've been speaking to Henry," Charles assumes with a grudgingly tone of annoyance.

"Nope. Your smile was just that big when you got back," Ororo continues to tease him.

Scott snorts with laughter. It was funny to see his long-term mentor so love-struck...as Jean called it.

Charles looks irritably at both of them. "It is in fact nothing to do with Lilandra. I just had an _interesting_ conversation with Marie." When he got back she had come to see him saying she needed to tell him about something.

"Tarot? What is the matter?" Ororo asks, with potential concern depending on the answer.

"Apparently when she uses her Tarot cards to read fortunes they show her the future."

"What?" Scott asks, not grasping the full meaning.

"She literally sees the future," Charles clarifies.

"That's...remarkable," Ororo has to say. She hadn't been aware Tarot possessed such a wonderful gift.

"What prompted her to reveal that now?" Scott asks.

"Claire. Marie was showing Claire her gift and Claire realised this was something we needed to know," Charles tells them what Marie told him about her reasons. Proof positive that Claire was making progress herself.

"Is there something in particular she saw?" Ororo asks.

"Marie is suffering the same issue I mentioned Ruth is."

"Something blinding her vision," Scott recalls that conversation after Blindfold left.

"Something...or someone. However she did say she saw us meeting the Hellions...soon-ish, to use her words."

"That was inevitable," Scott says.

"She couldn't see the details but you're right Scott. It was inevitable. I don't think any of us thought Emma would take her humiliation lying down. Speaking of Emma raises a point..."

"Did Emma know about Marie's gift," Ororo jumps in with the correct guess.

"Marie said she doesn't know and that Emma never asked about nor mentioned it but it seems oddly lax for Emma to have missed it," Charles says and that fact just doesn't sit comfortably with him when you know Emma well.

"What do you think it means?" Scott wonders.

"Truthfully I don't know. You can't rule out Emma just overlooked it. Despite her claims to the contrary she is not perfect."

"You don't believe that," Scott says and frankly neither does he that Emma missed it.

"If she did know then why did she let someone with such a gift leave so easily," Charles puts forward. "That's not like Emma either."

"Is Marie a plant?" Ororo asks. In other words did Emma let Marie leave to get a spy within their ranks.

"I believe Marie's feelings for Claire are genuine as is the fact she feels she didn't fit in or belong with the Hellions."

"So none of this is making sense," Scott summarises the situation.

"Not really," Charles must confess. "We can only go on with what we know for certain and so far Marie has done nothing to merit suspicion has she?"

"No," Scott agrees yet it rankles because it doesn't quite add up.

Ororo can see they're not answering this little mystery today so she decides to bring Charles up to date on what she and Scott were discussing.

* * *

The next day Clark is just back from the first day of what is the last week of school before the break up for the holidays. Despite being very distracted with so many things lately the last week or so has been quieter and the Christmas spirit is slowly starting to worm its way into Clark's soul. He loves Christmas. Makes him feel like a kid every time. Well that was still over a week away yet.

For right now he is going to get changed into his Superman costume and is going to go out and do a patrol round Bayville before dinner. He hasn't done this in a while. He had been taking a break just like he promised but he thinks...no he does feel a little more relaxed and refreshed. Maybe enough to start contemplating beginning this training with Jor-El. It wouldn't be this week he decides that. There's the Institute Christmas party this weekend before everyone breaks up for the holidays. He's not missing that. Maybe next weekend. He'll think on it.

Clark is just zipping his jacket up and getting ready to go out when his phone rings. He picks it up off his bed and checks the number.

Chloe.

He just knew this was coming.

He answers it just as he blurs off out his window and across the mansion gardens. "I'm on my way," he says.

"Wha-huh?" is Chloe's reply, showing he caught her off-guard.

Clark accelerates as he heads in Smallville's direction. "Let me guess something has gone wrong with Lex's plan to deal with Becker."

"How did you know? Are you here?" Chloe asks, her voice full of surprise that he seems to know exactly what is going on.

"No. Just a safe assumption. Tell me what happened."

Chloe gives the story of what has happened since Clark left yesterday. "Lex used his resources to find a way to contact Becker who asked for the 50,000 in bearer bonds."

"Smart. They're impossible to trace," Clark knows.

"Yeah. Really not dealing with amateurs here," Chloe is forced to agree.

"Go on," Clark asks Chloe to continue as he continues to run toward Smallville.

"Becker asked for the bonds to be dropped off at an abandoned warehouse in Metropolis and that Lex, Lucy and Lois all do the drop."

Clark's brow furrows. That seems a little odd to insist both sisters along with Lex do it.

"Lex had the briefcase lojacked like he said he would," Chloe reminds Clark, even if it is not strictly necessary, of the plan.

"So once the drop took place they could just follow the signal and catch Becker with his misbegotten gains," Clark reels off the rest.

"Yeah. Didn't work."

"What happened?"

"They were stopped by a patrol car halfway to Metropolis and the officer turned out to be Becker."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he handcuffed Lex and left him in the street. He also knew to dump the briefcase and simply take the bonds. He...he then took Lucy and Lois with him."

Clark can hear the worry in Chloe's voice about her cousins. "I promise Chlo. I'll find them," he tries to assure her.

"I know," she says with complete faith in him. Chloe focusses on the situation at hand. "Anyway I know this because Lex told me and he promised me too that he would fix it. I don't believe him."

"Chlo, where was this warehouse that Becker wanted the money dropped off at?" Clark asks.

"You think there might be a clue there?"

"I think since I basically have to go through Metropolis as is I might as well stop by and have a look."

"Ok. It's on the corner of Market and Linden. You know where that is?"

"I spent 3 months living in Metropolis, Chlo," Clark says in a roundabout way of saying yes, he does. "I'll call you as soon as I get there," he says as he ends the call and accelerates himself into top gear, creating a muffled sonic boom as he easily punches through the sound barrier.

* * *

**Smallville...**

The warehouse was a bust. In fact it wasn't an abandoned warehouse at all but a place of business. After leaving Clark came to Chloe's house.

"This isn't adding up," Chloe says. None of it made sense. Somehow Becker has obviously been planning this way ahead of them to have a fake patrol car and everything ready but how did he know where and when the car would be?

Clark paces around her kitchen as he thinks. He agrees with Chloe. They're missing something. "Who knew about the GPS tracer?" he asks since Becker knew to dump the briefcase which means someone told Becker about it.

"Lex would make sure his men could be trusted. He's a Luthor and this was his money on the line," Chloe argues.

"We're missing something. Becker must flown into the country right?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe he didn't come alone. Do you know when he came into the country?"

"Uh, yes, actually. Lex managed to get a face recognition hit when he was doing his own investigation. I can check the time and get the passenger list," Chloe says as she snaps her laptop on and gets to work hacking in.

Chloe manages to retrieve it and bring up the list. Clark's brow furrows as he spots a name. "Chlo."

"Yeah."

"That was Lucy's flight."

Chloe's eyes bug out as she spots Lucy's name. "What...how did she get away from him if they were on the same flight?"

"You're assuming she was trying."

"Huh?"

"We're looking for someone who spilled the beans. What about Lucy?"

"No," Chloe says in denial. Lucy couldn't possibly have.

"Lucy just happened to bump into Lex in Smallville and just happened to talk herself into performing a duet with him," Clark points out the huge coincidence. "She knew...or at least assumed you and Lois would chase after her, at which point Lex would learn about who was 'chasing' after her. We know Lex is having problems with Becker's employers...or perhaps we should say Becker's and Lucy's employers," he makes the next leap.

"Oh my god. It's a con. Lucy's been playing us like a Stradivarius," Chloe says with anger flaring up inside her at her cousin's betrayal. Clark's right. It's the only explanation that makes sense. Lucy...oh god what has happened to her little cousin to drive her into this sort of life.

"But why would he take Lois? Why not just take Lucy, the money and get out the country?" Clark can't figure out.

"Clark...as Lois said sisters don't always like each other," Chloe says implying this is Lucy trying to get some sort of payback on Lois.

"This is a bit far even for a sibling rivalry...and come on Chlo. You know Lucy."

"I'm not sure I do any more."

"Would she really want harm to come to Lois?"

"I suppose not. It would be more proving a point to Lois rather than actual physical harm."

"Is it possible this is not going the way Lucy thought it would?"

"If you're saying has she gotten in over her head I could go along with that idea, yes. So what do we do?"

"Tell me exactly what you know happened, detailing everything you remember, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem," Clark asks Chloe to repeat her story in as much details as possible to see if he can see a way to help.

Chloe retells the whole story up to the point she last saw Lucy and Lois.

"Wait...Lex was driving?" Clark queries that point.

"Yeah. Lois can't drive because of her knee."

"Driving what?" Clark asks and Chloe looks at him a little puzzled so Clark clarifies. "What car were they driving?"

"One of Lex's sport cars. The Lamborghini I think."

"You said Becker took Lois, Lucy and the car?"

"So Lex said. What are you, pardon the pun, driving at Clark?"

"It's a car belonging to Lex Luthor. What's the bet he has it lojacked?"

Chloe starts to smile. "Pretty good I'd say," she says, figuring it out. Lex is a control freak. There is no way he wouldn't have his car bugged in some way in case he needed to find it. "But Clark if we can figure it out Lex must be way ahead of us."

"Only he'll send his private army in and they won't care too much about Lois and Lucy's welfare," Clark points out. "In that case do you think you can hack the lojack system before Lex manages to catch up with his lost car?"

Chloe grabs her laptop and starts to get to work. "Watch and learn, farmboy. Watch and learn," she tells him as her fingers move across the keys in a blur. She guesses Lex is the sort of narcissist(hey he named his company Lexcorp) who would use his own tracking company. That way he keeps absolute control. "Our one saving grace is that Lex had to move his personal security force. Their barracks were damaged in the meteor shower. That gives us more time," she informs Clark that they still have a chance to be ahead of Lex. She works as fast as she can hacking her way in. "There!" she cries as she gets it. "Highway 51!"

Clark looks at the map on screen indicating where the car is before he vanishes in a blur with his usual gust of wind.

* * *

In the back of a trailer truck Lois sits there, Lex's car off to her left and just stares across the small space at her sister. Well that should be glares at her sister because Lois figured it out. That her sister was pulling one great big con. It was when Becker offered them a couple of sandwiches and pointed out how Lucy's didn't have any tomatoes. Lucy has a rare allergy to them that only someone who knows her well could possibly know about.

Lucy wraps her arms around herself. It's cold. "Look Lois, I swear, this wasn't suppose to end this way," she offer her somewhat lame excuse.

"When Michael Hoover was throwing dirt clods at you, who kicked his butt, huh? Who was the one who let you sleep in her bed and listen to you snore every night after mom died?" Lois reminds Lucy of everything she ever did for her sister.

Guilt starts to permeate within Lucy. "Lois, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to be in danger," she swears.

"Well, sorry's not good enough. I want to know why," Lois demands to know Lucy's reasons. "I want to know why you turned to a life of crime when you have everything in the world going for you. You're as close to frickin' perfect as it gets," she gives her view of Lucy. Her sister was the smart one with the musical gift. Lois couldn't get anywhere near Lucy's grades.

"Because that's what the general always wanted. I just went along and played the part. From the day I left for school, all I wanted was to go home," Lucy says, making the point how her personal desires were just ignored because they were not what their father wanted. She basically just pretended to be the person her father wanted her to be and not the person she wanted to be.

"Why didn't you tell the general that?" Lois asks. If Lucy was so unhappy why didn't she just say so.

"How could I? It was clear he didn't want me around. He wanted you."

"What are you talking about?" Lois asks, completely confused by this nonsense.

"Why do you think he sent me off abroad to that school after mom died?" Lucy asks her sister.

"He sent you off to that school because you're brilliant and you deserve the best education available," Lois gives the answer as she sees it.

It is clear Lucy doesn't agree. In her mind her father just didn't want her. "Well, you can think whatever you want. But the fact is, I always envied you."

"Me?" Lois says in total befuddlement. "I was being dragged around the world like a spare piece of luggage," she says bitterly. In her mind Lucy was the lucky one to get away. "Luce...I'm the failure. I got kicked out of uni for hitting on my tutor."

"Y-you did?" Lucy queries, not knowing that. "Was he cute?"

"That's not the point!" Lois snaps.

Lucy shrugs. "Maybe...but the point is you had something I never had."

"What?"

"Dad," Lucy says sadly. Lois got to stay with him. She got exiled.

Lois' face softens into sadness. "Luce...I didn't tell dad I got kicked out for over 6 months until Chloe talked me into it. He hadn't even noticed until I did tell him. Neither of us ever had dad, Luce," Lois tries to make her sister see that she is as far beneath their father's notice as Lucy thinks she is.

Lucy sinks down against the trailer side, brings her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them as her reasons for hating Lois crumble down. "I'm sorry, Lois," she says with a tear trickling down her cheek.

Lois pulls herself across the trailer floor and sits next to her sister. She pulls Lucy's head to lean on her shoulder. "It's alright. It will be," she promises. "But next time you feel like acting out to try and get dad's attention can you please avoid joining evil German crime syndicates?"

Lucy smiles a little bit. "I'll try," she says. "What will he do to us?" she asks about their current situation, her head nodding in the direction of the cab to indicate this to her sister.

"I take it he is no longer following the plan," Lois guesses.

"It was to take the money and the car and leave. You were never suppose to be here."

Lois sighs. Lucy is obviously in way over her head. "We've been in worse spots than this," she points out trying to be reassuring although that's only hiding the fact Lois has no clue how they get out of this. "Oh he was majorly cute, by the way," Lois says with a smirk about her tutor. "And you won't believe how skilled he was with his hands," Lois says with a sort of dreamy smile as she remembers a few very pleasant memories.

Lucy snorts out a giggle. As much aggro as does exist between her and Lois she has missed these little sisterly moments.

Then suddenly the truck screeches and swerves sending the two sisters sliding across the floor. They come to a stop and hear gunshots from up front.

What is going on?

* * *

Clark had been zipping along Highway 51 looking and listening for any sign of Lucy or Lois. He comes to a stop atop a bridge over the Highway. His eyes spot a haulage truck with a trailer. He wonders...it would make sense to hide the car. His eyes flash electric blue. Ah ha. There they are. And Becker is driving.

The truck passes under him and Clark leaps over the railing down onto the road before zipping after it. He passes it easily and then comes to a dead stop in front of it.

Marcus Becker had to admit his time here had been profitable. He had $50,000 in untraceable bearer bonds and Lex's car in the back was worth $100,000. The Lanes were useful protection. Oh it's not that he suddenly disliked Lucy. It was a good plan of hers and she had been useful. He's just making some profitable modifications and his employers will be pleased to see Lex so humiliated.

The fact Lex gave into blackmail will weaken his reputation so much he will have no choice but to stop trying to buy that hotel his employers desire to keep.

Suddenly a figure in red and blue appears in the headlights. Becker smashes right into him and then the truck quickly screeches to a stop. Becker leans forward and sees what is a young man has physically pushed the truck to a halt.

The young man looks up with an intense gaze that makes Becker almost jump. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a gun as the young man walks round and rips the door off. Becker fires several shots that bounce harmlessly off.

The young man reaches up, grabs the gun and crushes like a paper cup before he grabs Becker and lifts him with ease out the cab. "Mr Becker. I hope for your sake the Lanes are unharmed or I will be most displeased."

"Do you know who I work for?" Becker snarls.

The young man lifts Becker and brings them nose to nose."Do you want to take a guess who has the more power; them..." The young man's eyes glow menacingly red. "...or me?"

Becker gulps at the sight and the feel. He can literally feel the temperature rise to uncomfortable levels.

Clark releases one hand from Becker's jacket, still holding him easily and flicks Becker on the temple knocking him out cold. He places the man down on the ground. If Peter was around he would probably have been more humorous but Clark is not really in a joky mood at the moment. He strides to the back of the trailer and opens the door.

Lois and Lucy tense as they hear the door being opened. When it is flung open Lois recognises the person there. "Superman?"

"I believe this is your stop," Superman says to them with this 'aw shucks' grin.

"Who says there is never a man around when you need one," Lucy says flirtatiously.

"Oh. Give it a rest!" Lois tells her sister off for trying to flirt in this situation. "How did you find us?" she asks Superman.

"Luckily Chloe is a friend of my friends," Superman gives his explanation. He hops up inside the trailer and helps the Lane sisters to their feet. His head then snaps round.

"What?" Lois asks at seeing his sudden movement.

"Here's comes Lex to the rescue," he says with an extremely grudging tone.

* * *

Clark had to stay around to make sure Lex's men didn't do anything foolish. In a way Lex has now gotten exactly what he wanted. Becker in custody and leverage on this German crime syndicate.

Lex is also giving Clark the glare of death. No doubt Lex is still holding Superman to blame for Lana's current predicament. It was one thing Clark couldn't hold against Lex since Clark blamed himself for Lana.

Superman was currently just enduring Lex's interrogation about how he is here, why he is here, seriously Clark is struggling to see much of the man who use to be his friend.

Suddenly there is the sound of an engine starting up. It's Lex's car which had been unloaded.

"Lucy!" Lois shouts after her sister who is trying to scarper.

In an instant Superman has blurred in the car's direction.

Lucy knows what Lois will think but this is for the best. She slams her foot down on the accelerator...and goes nowhere. The tyres are screeching but there is no motion. She checks she hasn't left the brake on before her eyes catch a reflection in the rear-view mirror. Superman is holding the car back...with one hand.

Lois limps over to the stuck car and yanks the key out the ignition and glares the glare of death at her sister.

Lucy can't meet her gaze. She sees Superman come round. "Why couldn't you let me go?" she asks him in an almost tearful whisper.

"I know how you feel Ms Lane. I know running away can seem very attractive. Just move on and leave your problems behind...except the problems don't go away. They follow you. It may take them awhile but they catch up with you. A day comes when you have to grow up and take responsibility. When you face the consequences of your actions. Now you can run off and face those consequences alone or you can stay and face them with your family at your side."

"You don't know my family."

"That one I have to give her," Lois says, meaning the General.

"I'm not heartless," Superman says, trying to show he is perfectly sympathetic and understanding of what Lucy feels. "But I am someone who believes in truth and justice and that a time comes when we all must face up to those 2 things and right our wrongs. Today is the time to face your truth and justice Lucy Lane and that is why I couldn't let you go."

"Noble speech. Pity you don't live up to it," Lex sneers.

"Pity neither do you," Superman retorts out of a frustration Clark is feeling towards his old friend and how Lex makes his justifications for his actions lately.

"I'm the victim here," Lex claims.

Superman and Lois simultaneously snort in contempt.

"You have your money. You have your car. You have Becker which is worth more than the car and money combined to you by my calculation. How are you the victim precisely?" Superman asks him. "You look like the winner to me. Don't play the martyr Lex. It doesn't suit you...and if you zealously and pettily make life difficult for Ms Lane..."

"You'll what?" Lex asks, not reacting well to a threat.

Superman walks right up to him. Lucy may have done wrong but Lex pettily getting retribution on her is not justice as Clark sees it. Superman looks right into Lex's eyes and tells him, "I'll watch. Everywhere you go I'll be there, watching. No matter where you are I'll always be around. I wonder what I'll learn. I mean you did do a deal with SHIELD when your father was released. I wonder what the public would say if they knew what you were up to."

Lex enters a staring contest with Superman, daring the superpowered vigilante to blink first. He doesn't. It's a stalemate. "Everything I do is perfectly legitimate," Lex claims.

"Not everything," Superman knows...and Clark does know that for certain. Lex has his secret little projects and schemes and aims. Clark is also bluffing. He doesn't know what Lex is doing for SHIELD but he remembers Isobel remarking that if he did he would not call Lex his friend. Now it was Isobel saying it but Clark has always had the unsettling feeling she wasn't lying.

Lex doesn't need this...or more accurately he doesn't need this right now because he has a lot to do and can't afford wasting time with this so-called Superman...but a day will come. Lex vows it. "Take the Lanes and go. I have what I want," Lex permits him. "But this is not over Superman. You say noble things but I've seen how you don't live up to it."

"Ditto," Superman retorts. "And you're right Lex. This is not over. Remember. I'm always around."

* * *

A little later Superman is back at Chloe's house having dropped the Lane sisters off. He and Chloe have stepped outside so they can talk privately.

"So how did you like your first experience of Hurricane Lucy?" Chloe phrases it as.

"I feel like I need a long vacation."

"Imagine being related to her," Chloe jokes in gallows humour.

"Will you be alright?" Clark asks her seriously.

"I'll live. I'm only her cousin. It's much worse for Lois," Chloe knows even if Lois doesn't express it. "Lois is phoning the General as we speak. I think Lois has decided Lucy needs to grow up and is going to stop trying to protect her from their father," she explains where Lois has reached in terms of what to do with Lucy.

"Did she really have to tie Lucy to the chair?" Clark wonders.

Chloe rolls her eyes at that one. "It's just a Lois overreaction." She looks at Clark with a thankful expression. "Thank you, Clark," she says to him for doing all this.

"Hey what good is having a superpowered alien for a friend if he can't save your family every so often."

"Good point."

"I have to get going unless you need me."

"We'll manage," Chloe assures him.

"You're sure there aren't any other Lane sisters right? I don't think even I could take another one showing up."

"I don't think the world could take another one," Chloe jests.

"Lucy's not that bad...deep down, I think."

"Probably not but we don't all see the good in people like you do Clark."

"Yeah where Lois is concerned that doesn't apply at all."

Chloe shakes her head. She doesn't get this instant abrasive bantering between Clark and Lois at all.

"Stay safe, Chlo," Clark asks of her before he blurs off.

Chloe waves after him goodbye and whispers, knowing he will hear her, "You too."

Lois exits the house with an intense expression and a pronounced limp on the leg she is not suppose to be walking on right now.

"Finished talking to the General," Chloe assumes. "I mean I guess that you did when the yelling stopped."

Lois manages a brief small smile at Chloe's joke. "Yeah. He's not happy. Apparently in the family chain of command I'm the weakest link."

"I'm sorry, Lo," Chloe says sympathetically.

"Don't be. It was cathartic telling a 3-star general to go to hell."

"How long till he gets here?"

"Who knows. He's in the middle of some kind of hush hush secret meeting. They only called him out to speak to me because I called it a family emergency."

"Which it is in a way."

"It will be definitely if I don't gag Lucy soon," Lois says, half desiring to throttle her sister, who is doing nothing but whining and making excuses. Enough. Lois has just had enough. Lucy said to her to not act like mom...well fine, Lois won't any longer. Lucy can deal with their father herself from now on.

"We both know Lois that you'd help her in an instant if she got herself into trouble," Chloe points out.

"Of course I would. She's my sister," Lois says as if stating the flaming obvious. "Same applies to you by the way," she promises Chloe.

"Same for me," Chloe says. Having Lois stay with her for all these months...they are so much closer now. More like sisters than cousins.

"So where's our great big hero gone?" Lois wonders, not seeing him.

"Off saving people I guess. He wasn't specific. He, uh, said to pass on his farewells," Chloe lies...technically but she assumes Clark would want to. He's too polite not to.

"I guess it's handy to have mutant friends."

"Can be."

Lois blows out a breath. She is still pissed about her talk with her father. "What the hell is more important than his own damn family?" she wants to know about whatever it is that is delaying her father from being here.

"Can't answer that one, Lo. Sorry."

"I'm the one who's sorry," she says bitterly. Seriously though. Where the hell is he?

* * *

**SHIELD Hellicarrier...**

Director Fury sits at his desk in his office opposite a nearly bald man smoking a cigar. 3-star General Samuel Lane.

"What brings you here General?" Fury asks after Lane insisted on a private one to one.

"Banner can spin all his data and show all the charts he wants," Lane says in reference to the briefing Dr Banner had been giving him and several other high ranking military personnel. "What I want is your opinion. Can he do it? Can he revive Captain America?"

That was what the briefing was about. After months of tests with the platelets Banner had proposed a method of using them to repair the damage and bring Captain America back from death's icy grip.

"Banner is brilliant," Fury states a very true fact.

"He is also the most dangerous man on the planet according to Thaddeus."

"General Ross has a personal grudge as you most likely know," Fury points out, knowing when Lane says Thaddeus he is referring to General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross. It's all a tangled mess of personal issues because of Ross' daughter Betty loving Banner.

"The Hulk..."

"Is dangerous. I don't deny it but with Banner on his sedatives and under constant observation he hasn't had an 'incident' this year," Fury informs the General.

"Keep it that way," Lane says in no uncertain terms, strongly implying he'll hold Fury responsible if there is an 'incident'. "Rogers," he says wishing to return to that.

"The world needs him. If there is a good chance this will work we have to take it."

Lane couldn't argue that. This country needed men like Steven Rogers desperately. "When will the procedure take place?"

"I don't have an exact date yet. A week...10 days. We can't rush it. We have only one shot at this."

"So just in time for Christmas," Lane remarks wryly. "Hell of a present for the whole nation."

"That it could be."

"Let me know when you are proceeding," Lane wants to know. He rises to his feet. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go deal with a..._family _issue," he says in some distaste almost.

"Ah yes, Lucy. Sounds like a feisty girl."

Lane looks at Fury with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

"Do you think any phone call in this place is private?" Fury says rhetorically.

"Take my advice Fury, don't have kids," Lane offers as he exits.

Fury takes a moment until after Lane leaves. "Too late for that," he murmurs.

* * *

_Author's Note: Just had to tie up Lucy(Get it. Tie up and Lois tied her up. Anyway...) and start preparing the ground for what's ahead. Ooh not long for Cap now. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Stuff of Villains, a whole chapter dedicated to the villains of the story._


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Unknown location...**

A miscalculation had been made. Kal-El was not suppose to have been able to defeat Nam-Ek and Aethyr let alone banish them to the Phantom Zone. A place even the Brain Interactive Construct cannot access except through Jor-El's Fortress which, by the odds Brainiac calculates, is likely to have been constructed by now.

To determine how next to proceed an analysis of the data was required only there was insufficient data.

There was always insufficient data.

Part of Brainiac's programming drove it to hoover up as much data as possible. It wasn't it's most important protocol. Loyalty to Zod was.

Freeing Zod was another part of the analysis.

It required more data. Not just on Kal-El but on this planet. It had changed in ways Brainiac had not calculated based off the last known observations of Earth.

It needed to learn how to infiltrate Kal-El's life and find the data it needed to manipulate or coerce him into freeing Zod.

That being the case there is only one possible course of action.

The black ship that houses Brainiac's program lies hidden in the deepest depths of one of Earth's rainforests. A trickle of black metallic like liquid flows off the underside until it forms a puddle upon the ground. The puddle starts to rise up and take on a form. The form becomes more distinct. Arms, legs, humanoid. The black metal shifts and changes colour until it matches perfectly the skin pigmentation of its creators. Newly formed hands reach up and feel over a face and on top of the head there is the mimic of short brown hair.

Brainiac takes a moment to adjust to taking its creators form. It looks down at itself.

Clothing. It will need clothing and a tight black top and pants manifest over itself along with boots to complete the ensemble.

This will be sufficient it concludes until it learns more about what constitutes normal clothing for humans that will allow it to blend in.

If it was prone to emotion Brainiac would be slightly repelled by the notion of blending in with these primitive apes. However it is not prone to emotion. It has mission protocols to complete.

That being the case it chooses the direction of the nation state Kal-El was last in since it is the most logical place to begin it's mission and then faster than a human eye can possible blink Brainiac heads in that direction.

* * *

**The Savage Land...**

Another jungle in a different place on Earth. A land that time forgot in many ways close to the most southerly point possible on Earth.

"I seriously can't believe your old man thinks this dump can be our home. He must be nuts," Neutron complains to Pietro as the Brotherhood sit around the fire at their camp.

"Hey!" the protests comes from Puzzler, not Pietro. "Don't say things like that about Uncle Erik!" Valerie Van Haaften defends the only family she has left even if technically he isn't family.

"Thanks Val but I can deal with this," Pietro tells his...sort of cousin. He doesn't complain really. She's sweet in her way. He turns to Neutron. "Don't say things like that about my father!" he says sternly.

"Way to tell him," Avalanche mocks in a whisper to Toad, mocking the fact Pietro just used the same words as Valerie.

Toad snickers.

"I'm hungry," Blob complains.

"Tu as toujours faim," Plastique says. You're always hungry.

Alicia chews down her rations. She doesn't even want to know what they are although she suspects they're some kind of dinosaur. She misses her mother though and would rather be helping Mystique out than be here but Magneto's orders are Magneto's orders so here she is.

Just then a quite well built young man in a brown trench coat with long brown hair tied in a ponytail comes up to her. His name is Harpoon. He's new and part of Sinister's group. Another one of Stryker's 'children'. His mutant power is to manifest energy projectiles in the shape of harpoons, hence his name.

"Mr Sinister wants to see you," Harpoon informs her.

"Me?" Alicia queries with a puzzled look about why she alone is being asked.

"Those are his orders."

Alicia looks at her fellow Brotherhood members who look as puzzled as she is. She places her tin plate down, rises to her feet and follows Harpoon across the campsite. The Brotherhood tend to sit apart from Sinister's group.

Alicia follows Harpoon into a tent and inside she finds Mr Sinister dissecting a member of a tribe of Cro-Magnon humans they had encountered down here.

"Leave us," Sinister orders Harpoon who leaves without question. Sinister pauses in his examination of the extinct everywhere else protohuman species. His head rises and he takes in the teleporter. He had been the one who discovered her potential mutant nature when Magneto came to Smallville. From everything he knew she seemed to be one of the most stable of the natural meteor mutants. He must get another sample of her DNA to study he mentally makes a note. "Ms Baker."

"Mr Sinister," Alicia says back, thoroughly creeped out to be in this guy's presence. Her mother warned her about him. "You asked to see me?"

"Indeed. I require your teleportation powers for a mission."

"I'm here to follow your orders," she points out the obvious fact that he is in charge.

"Good girl," Sinister praises her with a grin. "I'm sure your mother is proud."

"I like to think so."

Ah. Desire for parental approval. Expected after Alicia's biologically parents locked her up for being a mutant. Sinister moves over to a map pinned to the side of the tent that roughly shows the part of the Savage Land they had so far managed to explore. He points at the edge of it which shows a body of water. A lake. "There's an island visible from the shore and upon it a structure of unknown origin. If the island is sufficiently large it could be a place to found our new nation that would be secure."

Alicia could see that. The tribes that existed here were very primitive. Attacking an island would be very difficult. "You wish me to take a scouting party to the island," she guesses.

"Very good," Sinister praises her. "I'll be leading it," he informs her because there was something odd about the architecture of the structure and he wanted to personally inspect it.

"As you wish," Alicia consents.

* * *

**One of Magneto's bases...**

Lorna would like to say it was a nice change being in this new base after they had been forced to abandon the one in the Rockies...except her father's bases are all the same design. Cold, grey metal.

Lorna would say that since that whole incident where her father had temporarily swapped bodies with Superman he had been...different. Slightly more personable, warmer, less angry. She couldn't explain it but she wasn't complaining.

Lorna had lots of thoughts. She missed her brother down in the Savage Land but had talked her father into making sure he was back for Christmas. This would be her first Christmas since discovering her father and brother and she was determined for them to be together. If she thought it possible she would get her sister, Wanda, here but considering the pure rage and hatred she saw in their first meeting that seems a slim possibility.

Right now Lorna was making her daily visit to her mother who was still in her coma. It made her angry every time she came here. Angry at the people who did this just because her mother gave birth to a mutant daughter. It should reinforce her belief in her father and his goals...except she cannot forget Wanda's rage nor why Wanda would choose to be with the X-Men rather than here. Wanda called the X-Men her family. That really struck Lorna hard.

So she has doubts. Lorna admits it. They are only small doubts but they're there. Trouble is she doesn't know how to get an answer to either confirm or dismiss her doubts. She isn't daft enough to express her doubts to her father. Even if she wanted to he isn't here. He's off somewhere with that Mastermind guy.

The door opens and there is Colossus carrying a large metal crate.

"Apologies," he says to her. "I did not mean to interrupt. I was merely bringing medical supplies."

"That's ok," Lorna assures him. "Here. Let me help," she offers as she raises her hand and reaches out with her powers. She picks up the crate and lowers it into the corner beside the others.

"Thank you," Colossus says gratefully. He turns to leave.

"Don't go," Lorna says, stopping him. "Please stay," she asks him because she's lonely. Being Magneto's daughter has disadvantages she has discovered that people tend to stand off her so she really doesn't have a friend.

Piotr looks at her curiously. His instinct is just to go and be by himself.

"Please," Lorna pleads.

Piotr sighs. That look on her face...Illyana pulled that look. He could never resist it. He stays.

"Thank you," Lorna says with a small smile. "It's um, Piotr isn't it?" she asks to confirm his name.

Piotr nods. "Da...but if it is easier in English my name is Peter."

"Peter," Lorna says with a smile. "So you're from Russia, right?"

Piotr nods. "Da," he confirms.

"Anyone else in your family a mutant?"

Lorna doesn't quite see Piotr's momentary freeze when she mentions his family. "Niet...no."

Ok. Not much of a talker Lorna can see. "Your parents still alive?" she asks what seem an apt question considering her mother lying in the bed.

"No," Piotr says very quietly.

"Wasn't humans was it?" Lorna says with a touch of loathing.

It saddened Piotr to see someone so young have that same spark of hatred Magneto has. "It was not. It was an accident. There was a fire in our house," he shares if only to knock the idea of hating humans a bit.

"Oh. Sorry," Lorna says in compassion. "You have any other family left?"

"Just my sister," Piotr says so he doesn't lie. "She is...elsewhere," he says because he knows he cannot tell Lorna what her father has done to Illyana.

"I know that feeling. Do you know why Wanda hates our father so much?"

"I cannot say," Piotr says, his phraseology being slightly ambiguous.

Lorna frowns, miffed.

"I am sorry for your mother's ills. I hope she recovers," Piotr gives his honest feeling on the matter.

Lorna raises a hand and brushes her mother's hair back. "Thank you," she says. "You should sit. Stay awhile," Lorna suggests to him since he is still standing.

Piotr sits himself down as she requests.

"I should introduce you!" Lorna suddenly realises she hasn't done that. "Peter, this is my mother Suzanna Dane. Mom, this is Peter. He turns into metal which is really bad for him when I'm in a mischievous mood," she says with a smirk.

Concern flashes across Piotr's features.

Lorna snorts out a laugh. "Joking! I swear!"

Piotr's expression remains one of worry but he does introduce himself. "Hello Ms Dane. It is nice to meet you. You have a lovely daughter...most of the time."

Lorna's eyebrows rise as she sees him smirk. "Oh ha ha," she says sarcastically and sticks her tongue out at him.

"You started it," Piotr points out stoically.

"And I'll finish it too. Just be lucky my mother's here or you would be in big trouble buster."

"In Russia we have a saying. I believed translated it is 'Bring it on'."

Lorna's green eyes narrow yet she smiles a little too. She wanted a friend and it seems like she may have found one.

* * *

**Birmingham, England...**

She is a young woman with long blond hair, a narrow but pretty face with a slender body and she had been out enjoying the benefits of being young. She had found a cute guy and right now she was pushing him down on his bed after being invited back to his apartment. She crawls over him, her eyes hungry, her body humming.

Her lips capture his as she kisses him passionately. He rolls her over on her back, his hands exploring her body. They were both still clothed. They wouldn't be in less than 5 minutes by her reckoning...or if he keeps _that _up less than 2.

One of his hands departs its exploration of her making her frown. In her opinion she was hot. What was his hand doing if not touching her. She opens her eyes, which had been shut, as she lost herself in the moment and sees him with a knife in his hand ready to bring it down on her.

Her eyes narrow, the man grabs his head in agony and screams. Blood starts dripping from his nose and ears. He really doesn't know what a telepath like her is capable of doing to him. She pushes him off of her.

What the...oh wait a second. She senses something. Another telepathic source. One she knows. "God damn you Martinique!" she screams in fury.

The door to the bedroom opens and standing there, dressed all in black is a smirking young woman with long brown hair. She has a rounder face than the blond woman and a slightly fuller figure being she is slightly older by a year. "I was so close," she laments the fact she failed to kill the other woman. "Well Regan," she addresses the woman. "So what do we do now?"

"I was thinking of ripping your head off slut-bitch from hell!"

Martinique snorts contemptuously. "I'm not the one who was so anxious to get the handsome guy to bed she totally missed the fact I was controlling him but then again you have always been the lesser out of the two of us," she insults Regan with this smug superior grin.

Regan screams in rage, "DIE YOU BLOODY BITCH!" She charges into Martinique knocking the other woman down to the ground where they punch, scratch and kick each other with the total intention of causing serious physical harm to each other.

"Get off me you cheap tart!" Martinique screams back.

"Skank!"

"Loser!"

"Tosser!"

"Pillock!"

"Minger!"

"Slapper!"

"Slag!"

"Chav!"

"Manky git!"

"Trollop!"

The two women are so intent on killing each other they don't notice until it is too late two metal chains wrap around them, yank them up and pin them to the wall opposite each other.

"What the bloody hell!" both women exclaim at the same time. Their eyes turn in the same direction to find two figures standing there. Magneto and Mastermind. .

"Oh look Regs, it's daddy," Martinique hisses with hate, her lip curled up into an angry snarl.

"The one person I hate more than you," Regan snarls.

Magneto looks at the smaller troll of a man. "These are your daughters?" he questions, not sounding very impressed with what he sees.

Mastermind nods sadly as he pinches the bridge of his nose. The hostility pouring off his daughters is giving him a migraine.

Yes. Indeed. These are Regan and Martinique Wyngarde, daughters of Jason Wyngarde aka Mastermind. They're half-sisters produced by two different women Mastermind seduced using his power of illusion. Why they hate each other this much to want to kill the other is a very long story not to be told today.

Magneto strides forward as he uses his powers to hold the two woman in place. They have near identical glares of contempt for him.

"So daddy any particular reason for this visit?" Martinique asks nastily.

"Yeah. It can't be because you missed us," Regan says with bitterness and anger.

"I'm the reason," Magneto states.

"Of course you are," Martinique says with a sad inevitability about that.

"Heaven forfend that our father come to see us because he wanted to," Regan adds.

"Enough," Magneto barks. "Is this all you are? There is a whole world out there that hates and fears our kind. A whole world I am preparing to defend our kind from and what do you two do? Come up with elaborate ways to kill each other? You could be so much more," he says, disappointed in what mutants of such power as these two are doing. Wasting their lives and squandering their gifts in Magneto's opinion.

"What do you want?" Regan asks.

"For once I agree with my sister. What is it you want?" Martinique asks.

"Your father is going on a long term undercover and infiltration assignment for me. I need a telepath to replace him. Preferably two."

The Wyngarde sisters look at each other and echo in perfect synchronisation. "Work with her?! Not bloody likely!"

"What is it you two want?" Magneto asks them. "You have such telepathic power to do anything you wish yet here you are living on the fringes of society, hiding in fear of what you are. You could be leaders in the new order. Together you two would be a near unstoppable force. Under my guidance just imagine what you could accomplish...or is your ambition limited to only your hate for each other."

"Oh right. The mutant terrorist is lecturing us on hate," Martinique mocks.

"Yeah. Didn't you make some hate filled speech about how humans are a failed species?" Regan remembers.

"Hate has it uses, focussed properly," Magneto points out, not dismissing the fact there is much hatred in his heart. He accepted it and learned to channel it. "Yours is unfocussed," he makes the point to the sisters. They lash out at each other in almost random bursts...or that was the impression Mastermind gave of his daughters. "You still have not answered my questions. What are your ambitions, your goals for life or are you truly happy with your lives where all you do is wait until the other tries their next murder attempt?"

"Listen to Magneto," Mastermind begs of his daughters. God knows they're not going to listen to him but maybe Magneto can get them to stop this endless cycle of retaliation they have going. "I don't claim to be the best father, Regan, Martinique, but you have your whole lives in front of you. You can choose a path, unlike mine, where you don't spend it hiding in shadows, using illusions to blend in. Magneto can create a world where you can walk proud in being what you are."

"Wow, that almost sounds like you care," Regan says, caught out by the sincerity in her father's tone.

"Emphasis on the almost," Martinique points out snidely.

"I ask you not to lay down your rivalry today," Magneto makes his case to them. "I ask for a pause to see what I have to offer and if you choose to leave then I shall allow it."

Regan and Martinique look at each other and engage in a telepathic converse.

"_So what's the less appealing option here?" _Regan asks her sister. _"Listening to Magneto or continuing trying to kill each other?"_

"_As much I hate you I do tire of this, Regan. Dad may not have been exactly right about us hiding but we are certainly not living our lives to the full."_

"_Ugh, I can't believe it. I'm agreeing you," _Regan says in disbelief. _"By the way, hate you too."_

"_Yes but where does that end?"_

"_So far it doesn't seem to have an end."_

"_Unless we choose to put one to it,"_ Martinique argues.

"_So truce?" _Regan proposes to her sister.

"_Truce...until we hear and see what Magneto is offering. I make no promises after that."_

"_Fine by me because neither do I."_

The sisters look at Magneto and their father. "We've agreed a temporary truce," they announce together.

"Mastermind?" Magneto queries.

"They speak the truth," Mastermind informs Magneto of as much as he can discern of his daughter's motives.

Magneto releases them. "Go pack. We shall leave shortly," he instructs them.

Martinique and Regan rubs their arms where the chains dug in and leave to head to their respective accommodations. Magneto knows where they are. Once gone he turns to Mastermind. "Make sure the young man remembers nothing," he says in reference to Regan's 'friend' who, while hurt, is still alive.

Mastermind nods.

"And what of your other daughter?" Magneto inquires about Mastermind's 3rd and youngest daughter.

"Uh...she is...she lives in Wales with her grandmother but she is not telepathic. She is very young. I request she be left alone for now," Mastermind requests because Megan should not be involved in any of this if it can be avoided.

Magneto considers this request before accenting. Mastermind goes to deal with the young man. Magneto absently rubs at his shoulder where Live Wire stabbed him. It had healed mostly with a scar that would be permanent. It was fine. He would live with it.

As for Live Wire herself...her day of reckoning was coming. Magneto had neither forgotten nor forgiven her for her betrayal. He simply had more important tasks to perform for the moment but eventually he would return to her so wherever she is she should enjoy her rest bite while she can because when Magneto comes for her rest is something she shall never know again.

* * *

**Miami, Florida...**

Miami has many of those famous hotels right on the beach. Right now one of the staff is delivering one of the guest's demands for room service. He knocks and enters when beckoned. He finds the guest out on the balcony. "Your drinks, Miss," he announces.

"Just leave them on the table, thanks hon," the lady tells him, pointing at the small table beside her lounger. He pauses as he notices the chalk-white colour of her skin upon the arm that's pointing. Must be one of those mutants...but a guest is a guest. He places the tray down, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the female form lying there is a blue 2-piece swimsuit with a lighting bolt motif on both the swimsuit top and bottom. She has crazy sticking up blue hair and shades rest over her eyes.

"I would offer you a tip but I think ogling me counts as one," she snaps with a cocky tone.

"Uh...I apologise."

"Don't bother. It's only natural. I always draw attention to myself. Now get going you," she waves him off. "I need my rest."

"Yes, miss. I hope your stay is to your liking," he offers before leaving.

Live Wire...Leslie Willis as she remembers herself to be now reaches over and grabs her drink. Liquids don't agree with her electrical nature yet she is still human enough to need refreshment. It means being careful as she raises the glass to her lips and makes sure the liquid only goes down her throat. Even then she can feel small short circuits erupt within. It is just something she has had to learn to deal with.

That done Leslie lies back and lets the sun's rays bathe her. Now this...this is paradise. This is exactly what she needed after being Magneto's butt monkey for months.

Well maybe not quite paradise. That would require a certain farmboy to attend to her _needs._

Yeah it's weird she admits. She hates Clark. She lusts after him. Her mind since she was transformed has never been all that stable.

Oh well like she promised him they'll meet again and she'll settle that account one way or the other but for right now it is just time to recharge the batteries.

And once her batteries have recharged...

Look out world!

The Live Wire is coming to get ya!

* * *

**Oscorp, New York...**

Norman Osborn created this company from scratch using nothing but his sweat, his blood, his mind. He is a man who has created things that have changed the world. Things that have changed him.

"_No kiddin there Norm!" _the cackling voice inside his head boasts.

Course there's _him_. Norman was working on a biological enhancer...sort of a superior successor to the long lost super soldier formula that created Captain America. He was struggling to perfect it and the military were threatening to pull their contract so he tested it on himself.

"_And Voilà! Me! Your greatest creation!"_

The formula worked only it unleashed Norman's 'friend'.

"_I'm hurt Norm!" _the voice pouts_. "After everything I have done for you this is how you think of me?"_

"Everything you did?" Norman whispers from between gritted teeth. "You promised we would be running this city by now. Yet we are involved in a full-scale war with Fisk," he shoots down how badly things are going lately.

"_Ok so I may have underestimated Moby Dick a little but trust me Norm. It may take a little longer but victory shall be ours."_

"You mean like that idea to get Spider-Man on our side?"

"_Which we will soon."_

"Assuming Warren ever gets it right," Norman pours scepticism on this Warren person's abilities.

"Mr Osborn?" a voice queries.

Norman shakes himself out of his internal monologue. He turns round to face a middle aged man with grey hair and moustache. Miles Warren. "Dr Warren?"

"Do you wish to continue the tour while I update you?" Dr Warren queries since that is why he assumes Osborn is here today touring his lab.

"Please," Norman permits him.

"Using the blood sample you provided we have now managed to create 4 viable embryos," Warren reports while gesturing at the 4 transparent tubes filled with a clear liquid in which are tiny human embryos a few weeks old.

"Any sign of genetic degradation?"

"In a couple of them I have to unfortunately report that yes, there are already small signs."

"But they are still viable?"

"For now. It's due to the way the arachnid DNA gas been bonded to the human DNA that causes the difficulty."

"But if we can figure how to repeat it then we would have created the new generation of biological weapons. The perfect counter to the mutant threat," Norman gives the official business reasoning behind his work. As for the real reason...well that's between Norman and his 'friend'.

The blood sample is of course the one they managed to obtain off Spider-Man. Studying it had revealed many fascinating things. Like the way the human DNA has had arachnid DNA integrated into it. If they can figure out how it was done then the possibilities are endless...and then there's the real reason. Again that's between Norman and his 'friend'.

"I leave business decisions to you Mr Osborn. I'm a scientist," Warren detaches himself of responsibility for the consequences of his work.

"_Smart man," _the voice in Norman's head praises Warren. _"He should leave those decisions to us."_

Norman ignores his 'friend' and continues on. "Can we tell yet if they will duplicate Spider-Man's powers?"

"Uh...no."

The slight delay makes Norman suspicious. "What is it, Warren? What are you not telling me?"

"I can't explain it," Warren says on the defensive.

"Explain what?" Norman demands to know.

"One of the embryos is...female," Warren informs his employer but he is really at a loss to explain how it happened.

"_Well now that's interesting," _the voice remarks.

"But it is one of the perfectly healthy ones," Warren quickly adds.

Norman narrows his eyes.

"_Don't kill him yet, Norm. If she has the Spider's powers we can use her," _the voice argues, being the reasonable one for once.

Norman lets out a calming breath. "Just remember Warren it only takes a phone call to let the FBI know where you are. How many charges are you wanted on for performing illegal experiments again?"

"B-but that would expose you?"

"You assume you would be in any condition to tell anyone anything," Norman says in a not very veiled threat.

"_Ooh, good one Norm! That's my boy!" _the voice praises him.

Warren visibly shrinks. Osborn is the only thing standing between him and jail.

Norman stares hard at the man for much longer than necessary to get his point across. "Keep me informed of the progress, Doctor," he orders.

He then strides out. He passes the last remnant of a previous experiment.

"_Wait!" _the other voice says.

Norman stops. "What?" he asks at a whisper.

"_The clones are good but they are months away from being useful. There might be another way to bring Spider-Man to heel quicker."_

"What way?"

"_Look, Norm. What do you see?"_

Norman looks. What he sees is a tiny splodge of a black, oily looking substance. A tiny fragment left over from a previous experiment and gets what his 'friend' is thinking. "The symbiote? You want me to grow another? For what?"

"_We know it attached itself to Spider-Man before Brock."_

"And Brock is locked up and refuses to say anything. I don't think even you could make him talk."

"_It doesn't matter if he talks or not. We just have to give him back his power and unleash him. Now that will be a spectacular show!"_

Norman is not sure he is quite seeing how this will bring Spider-Man to heel exactly.

"_Trust me Norm. Have I ever steered you wrong?"_ the voice asks in innocent tones.

"No."

"_Then trust me now. Your old friend the Green Goblin has it all worked out! Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"_

* * *

_Author's Note: Oh dear. Venom is making a comeback. That can't be good for Peter or those close to him. Cough, Kitty, cough__. And yeah I'm laying down the foundations of the Clone Saga but it won't be in this story. __I thought Lorna could do with a friend/half-decent sort of big brother hence the little scene with Colossus. Is it me or for a little troll of a man Mastermind manages to father some seriously hot daughters? This was only going to be one chapter originally but it is turning out to be much longer than I intended so I'm going to break it into two. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Stuff of Villains part 2...with a special guest appearance from a certain Merc with the Mouth._


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Interlude...**

I had a quick search down the back of the couch and scrounged up enough cash to bring him here today!

Now if this was a tv show instead of a fanfiction right now you would be looking at the image of a truly awesome man in a red and black mask and I wouldn't even have to introduce him. This is not a tv show.

Ladies and gentleman! Here's Deadpool!

"Hello dear readers. It's your old friend Deadpool here. The Merc with the Mouth. The regeneratin' degenerate...hey now why do I keep getting called that? That's rude. I'm not a degenerate. I'm a role model for the millions and millions of Deadpool fans across the world."

Get on with it Wade. I don't have to include you you know.

"Ooh now that's kinda harsh. You seem tense. Your underwear on too tight again?"

Wilson!

"Righty oh. You're the boss since you literally write what I do. Now dear readers I know it's been awhile since you've seen me. I can only apologise. I have many many commitments. Did you know for example I'm going to be in a video game? Suck on it Wolverine!"

I am happy about the game. I mean finally getting the recognition you deserve.

"Thanks. You're a nice guy despite your awful fashion sense. Me on the other hand have been so far ahead of the curve with my fashion that I'm now behind the curve."

Somehow that actually makes sense but if you could get on with it.

"Of course. Now the last time you guys saw me I flummoxed and humiliated the heroes by making an epic getaway with my old buddy Billy Stryker...and as an added bonus I shoved a sword through Logan. Now that's class you just can't buy. Now back to me pal Billy, you see he was in cahoots with HYDRA, although planning to betray them and use the ultimate weapon he was going to turn Rogue into to destroy them. What a guy! Well that never happened and lets just say HYDRA don't take failure well and the Billster, he totally messed up big time. I can promise when you see him again he is no longer his old handsome self. My delightful author won't let me say more but keep tuned because when Billmister makes his return so will I...hey is my return going to be epic?"

Yep. It will involve X-23.

"Ooh the girl Logan. Cool!"

It's sadly still a bit off.

"Bummer!"

On the plus side coming up we get a mention of what you were up to in Metropolis. You really know how to break a girl's heart don't ya?

"Hey what can I say? Deadpool has a way with the ladies!"

That's _one _way of putting it. Anyway, sadly it's the best I can do for you for now but to make up for it I have sent you a best of Bea Arthur DVD and some chimichangas to eat while you watch it.

"You're like the greatest writer ever!"

Thanks. I try. Now say goodbye.

"If I must. Cough, cough, clear my throat. Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast."

That's Ace Rimmer from Red Dwarf!

"Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

That's Casablanca!

"I'll be back!"

Oh why do I bother. Let just get back to the story.

* * *

**A place of darkness...**

Two spindly creatures made of living shadow drag a young woman across stone floors. Her long black hair is a matted mess and her clothes are in tatters. She has not the strength to move under her own power, nor stand, not even can she raise her head.

They enter a large well furnished room that is only very dimly lit by a couple of candles and throw the young woman down in front of a four poster bed.

"How have you enjoyed the sphere of perpetual agony, my daughter?" a voice from the figure on the bed asks. The name is not very imaginative but it is very accurate. Every moment inside the sphere is a living hell of unspeakable pain.

The young woman places her hands down in the floor and pushes herself up. She raises her head to show the dirt covered face of Countess Margaret Isobel Thoreaux. Tear streaks are clearly visible on a face that shows a person who has endured agonies beyond imagining. "No more, please," she begs, her voice raspy and hoarse from screaming in agony. "Mother," she half-sobs.

Selene cannot be seen. She is shrouded in darkness as her body heals from its injuries suffered at the hands of Jor-El's bastard of a son. "Have we learned our lesson?" she asks of her daughter. This was her punishment for ransacking Selene's library and stealing her minions.

"Yes," Isobel sobs as she lays down on the floor unable to move.

"Funny. I've heard that before. It was just before you left me for Gertrude," Selene reminds her daughter.

"A mistake. The stones are gone now. You are all I have," Isobel tries to argue for clemency from her mother.

"That's true I suppose," Selene might concede that one. "Still you always manage to disappoint me Isobel. So much potential wasted," she says, sounding disappointed because Isobel has been one of her more talented children.

Isobel lies there, her body still racked with lingering pain. "One chance, please," she begs. At this point she'll say anything to avoid going back into the sphere her mother conjured up.

"I'll think on it," Selene says.

Then there is clanging sound as something metal drop neat Isobel. She looks up to see a metal bracelet.

"Put that on," Selene orders.

"W-what is it?"

"Do it or go back to the sphere," Selene tells her, her voice broaching no argument, debate or discussion.

Isobel reaches up, takes it in hand and slips it on her wrist. She screams out as it burns her. She looks to see it bond to her skin.

"There. Now you can't remove it without cutting your hand off. This ensures your loyalty. You cannot leave these premises unless I allow it. You cannot use your magic unless I allow it."

Isobel coughs. "It's a slave bracelet," she realises and when magic is involved this is more than a symbolic thing. She is essentially now her mother's slave, subject to her whims.

"Yes. It is," Selene confirms. "But don't feel so bad Isobel. This is far from the worst I could have done to you. You should have seen what...or more accurately who I sent to Frost's."

"E-Emma?"

"It was her incompetence that is partially responsible for this," Selene says angrily. "She assured us all she could bring Jor-El's son into line. She failed and you should know how I feel about failure."

"Failure is unacceptable," Isobel repeats her mother's mantra.

"Quite right. Hmm, it should be any time now my..._gift_ will be arriving," Selene says with a dark chuckle.

It is always really disturbing to hear her mother laugh. Isobel can't even begin to imagine what she has done.

* * *

**Academy of Tomorrow...**

Emma watches as down below her her students were run through a training session in her academy's version of the Danger Room. Arguably she had been training them too hard but with the Lord Imperial coming they had to be perfect. Course it didn't help that the Blaire girl wasn't here because of her enthusiasm for the cause.

It was fine.

It was.

Alison was new. It takes time to settle into a team.

Course doesn't help that Alison has a way of riling everyone up. The other day Emma had to stop a full scale brawl that Alison had somehow managed to initiate. The girl would be the death of her. Luckily Emma doesn't plan for Alison to be her only new recruit.

Watching her students train Emma decides it's too easy and sets the simulation to the next level. Lets see them deal with that.

So focussed is Emma on her students she doesn't see the wraith like figure sneaking up behind her until it is far too late.

* * *

Monet Yvette Clarisse Maria Therese St. Croix does not believe she is special. She knows she is special. In fact putting her genius mind to the issue she has come to believe she is the first of a superior form of mutant. Just look at her. A vast array of powers housed in an invulnerable and perfectly formed body with a genius level intellect on top.

Therefore her superior self can tell when something isn't right and something is not right. The simulation has suddenly altered into a dark thick jungle which wasn't the setting they were running through today. Monet was not concerned. She just knew this was inconsistent.

There is a scream of one of her teammates nearby and Monet flies herself over to the source. She finds Jetstream lying on the ground, his uniform torn and what looks like a small bite mark on his shoulder. She feels for a pulse. He is still alive but where is whatever attacked him?

Monet now knows this can't be Ms Frost's doing. As angry and demanding as their teacher has been lately she wouldn't do this. There is something else here.

More screams and Monet flies after them but finds the same thing time after time. Her teammate down and a bit mark upon them. Out of the corner of her eyes she spots a wraith like figure in a tattered cloak glide by through the undergrowth.

Monet flies after it but it vanishes. She frowns. What was that?

Then Monet suddenly remembers. Her sisters!

Monet must find her little sisters. As the older sibling they are her responsibility as much as she may wish they weren't. She flies through the jungle smashing down everything in her way. Expedience and crude blunt force are more important than grace at the moment.

Monet finds her sisters cowering near some simulated rocks, holding onto each other, literally shaking with fear. She can feel the terror from them as she draws close with her telepathy. "Claudette, Nicole," she addresses them.

The twins look up at their older sister. "He's here. He's back," they whisper, their voices shaking.

"What are you talking about?" Monet wants to know. "Who is here?"

Before the twins can answer the sound of twigs snapping catches Monet's attention. She twists her head. It's only Beef and Hellion. She turns back to her sisters. Suddenly Beef and Hellion grab her. Before she can fling them off they rip her uniform at the shoulders and press their hands to her bare flesh.

Monet yells in pain as she feels teeth penetrate her supposedly impenetrable skin and then her strength wanes and weakens. She tries to fight Beef and Hellion off but as she weakens they seem to get stronger, as if they are feeding off her strength, until they can hold her down easily. Monet's head droops as she staves to fight off unconsciousness.

Monet turns her head as someone is forced down on their knees next to her. Emma in her diamond form and it is Jetstream and Catseye forcing her down. Monet focuses her eyes and that is when she sees the shadow in her teammates faces. It is hard to describe. They just look...transformed in some way.

Then there is raspy hissing sound.

Monet looks forward of herself. There is the wraith like creature in the black tattered cloak she saw. Now she is seeing him clearly she can see a mask on his face. Her guess would be some sort of respirator. Hence the hissing sound.

The wraith speaks in a chilling raspy voice. "Your arrogance never ceases to amaze. Instead of checking whether your teammates were ok you just moved on, thinking only of yourself."

Monet finds the strength to deliver a comeback. "Am I suppose to take advice from a pathetic cross between a Dementor and Darth Vader?"

The wraith chuckles before coughing...hacking really. His lungs must be a wreck. "Ah, there's that sharp tongue I have missed so much," he says between coughs.

Monet looks at him. He speaks as if they have met.

The wraith glides across the ground to her. Close up Monet can see his skin is grey, mottled, wrinkled with age. His eyes are blood red. He has long black, filthy, dirty hair. His withered looking hand grabs her chin with surprising strength and makes her look at him directly in the eye. "Don't worry. I am not going to do to you what I did to them," he says in reference to her teammates. "I would never harm you in that way my dear, dear sister."

Monet's eyes widen. "Marius?" she queries in a shocked whisper.

Her brother Marius, chuckles darkly. "Yes, Monet. It is I. I have returned from where they sent me," he declares, pointing at his younger twin sisters who banished him. "What you see of me now is a result of where I was sent. A dimension whose horror you cannot conceive. A lesser being would have died. Luckily I am a St. Croix."

"What have you done to my teammates Marius?" Monet demands to know.

"Think...vampire familiars. It's a good analogy. I can turn them into my slaves after feeding on them. I can also impart a tiny portion of my gift making them able to feed off mutant energy just like me."

Their hands. They bit her though their hands just like Marius needs to to feed through these mouths in his palms. "How did you get back?" Monet asks him.

"Ah!" Marius says, raising a finger into the air until it falls on Emma. "It is a gift for her."

Emma looks up, drained and weak. "Me?"

"Your diamond form may prevent your transformation into my slave Emma Frost but I can still get the revenge my benefactor desired. You see where I was time moved much faster. It has been a very long time since our first meeting. I have endured agonies and pain you cannot fathom and then she came to me. Offered me the way home if I inflicted her revenge upon you. Since Monet was here our goals were mutually beneficial and I agreed. This is a gift what we have right here. A gift courtesy of the Black Queen."

"Selene," Emma hisses angrily.

"She says hi."

Emma swears she's going to get Selene for this...as soon as she gets out of this. Marius took her by surprise and drained her. She was barely able to transform before he could incapacitate her completely. It is taking all her concentration to remain diamond.

Monet looks at her twin sisters still huddled in terror.

Marius follows her gaze. His respirator continues to hiss. His lungs were all but destroyed thanks to the ravages of the hell he has had to endure for so long he lost count of how much time had passed. "Do not worry. I would never harm by beloved little sisters," he assures all 3 of his siblings.

"I'm not the one who should be worried Marius," Monet tells him in cold, hard tones. A tone that promises many dark things she will do to him for this.

"You're slipping Monet. You use to have demeaned, insulted and humiliated me a dozen times by now," Marius points out and you can hear the anger in his tone. It was the anger that would have had him make his sister pay for all her comments and humiliations had Frost and her team not interfered before he had gotten the chance to.

Monet's lips curl up into a cruel smile. "Why waste my good material on knocking you down a peg when there is no lower peg for you to be knocked down to. At least I can say your appearance finally matches the wretchedness of the person you are."

Marius lets out a raspy roar and lunges at her, the mouths on his hands ready to feed off of her, only to stop himself millimetres from his goal. "You," he says through a raspy hiss. "All of my life you have insulted me, demeaned me."

"I simply told the truth of what you really are."

"No!" Marius denies that. "You showed that under all your arrogance is a scared little girl who can only make herself feel better by playing down everyone else in an attempt to elevate herself."

"I don't need to elevate myself, Marius," Monet sneers at her brother. "I am better than everyone else and in turn everyone else is better than you. How does it feel to be at the bottom of a pile that large?"

"Try and anger me if you wish Monet but it will not stop me."

"From doing what?"

"Enlightening you," Marius says and a cold shiver goes up Monet's spine at the look in his blood red eyes. "Selene gave me one more gift. One to help you realise your sins Monet. It's time, my dear sister."

"For what?"

Marius hisses gleefully. "Your Penance."

* * *

**Shaw Residence, New York...**

Far away from Emma's school...in fact Emma is far away in general from the thoughts of Sebastian Shaw at the moment.

Thinking on her only makes him angry. The sheer incompetence of losing his daughter.

It is best they don't see each other in person for awhile.

He also has other concerns. Like Pierce had promised the White Bishop had informed the Lord Imperial of events regarding the X-Men and needless to say the Inner Circle's supreme head was most displeased to the point he was flying in from England in the near future to personally conduct a review of the New York branch.

Shaw could get through this. He would get through this. It might put his plans to become Lord Imperial back a little but in the end he would prevail.

He sits at his home drinking his good scotch from a glass.

Truth be told even if Claire is not here with him he knows where she is. Despite being back at Xavier's at least she is making choices, choosing her own path, determining her own future. He's...proud of her...which is a damn sight more than he feels for his son Shinobi. His son has been coasting through life too long off the back of the fortune Shaw worked hard to obtain.

Shaw has essentially sent his son into exile abroad overseeing a minor and unimportant part of his company. He hoped it might have been the spur for Shinobi to snap into shape. Fat chance.

He'll deal with the issue of his daughter after he has secured his position. That comes first at the moment.

Just then there is a knock on his door. He beckons them inside and in walks his personal assistant Sage is her business attire. Shirt, jacket, pencil skirt. "I am sorry to disturb you but we have a problem."

"What sort of problem?" Shaw asks warily at the minor inflexion in Sage's usually flat tones.

"Several of the Circle's premises have been raided and there are writs that have been issued to seize our more...illegitimate assets."

"By whom?" Shaw thunders, his temper rising.

"On the surface just the federal authorities."

"And under the surface?"

"As far I can tell; SHIELD."

"Fury," Shaw grinds his teeth. "How did he know where to look?"

"I don't have that answer but from our sources it looks like this may be only the beginning. It seems Fury is planning a blitz upon us."

Shaw swears and grinds his teeth harder. He rises to his feet. With everything else this is the last thing he needs right now. "Tell me everything you have learned," he orders as he storms out if the room. Unlike his son he doesn't coast through life. Fury wants a war then Shaw will give him one and in the end he'll be the one who wins.

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

In a darkened room there is one table lit by a single lamp. Upon this table are books and piles of papers and ancient scrolls as one man works feverishly away studying them for any information they may have to aid in furthering his goals. He is bald man with green tattoos upon his face. He goes by the name Mesmero and he is the loyal servant of the great Apocalypse.

Approaching 10 months ago his master gave him the task of finding the 2nd of 3 keys so that he could free the Great Apocalypse upon the Earth once more. His master had been imprisoned long ago by traitors who were too small and too afraid to understand Apocalypse's vision for the world.

The problem is telling him what the key is is not the same as actually telling him where it is. For 10 long months Mesmero has had to search through ancient dusty records in every major library in the world. It is as if the key has vanished from history.

Ok correction. As if half the key has vanished. It was broken in two and one half Mesmero has found in the British Museum in London. For now he has left it there. It is pointless to steal it until he finds the other half and then he must concoct a plan of how to use this key.

There is only one mutant he knows with the correct power. It would be a dangerous game but one he will have to play if he is to free his master.

Back to his current problem. The last known record of the other half of the 2nd key was of it in Germany just before the war and of it belonging to a Jewish family. That's a problem. That means the Nazis probably seized it as they did many other treasures belonging to Jews.

Although the Nazis were impeccable record keepers. There is a possibility there is a record of it in Germany somewhere. That will be his next destination.

Mesmero lets out a weary breath. No-one ever said freeing Apocalypse would be easy. Those who imprisoned him made sure it would not be but he is getting closer.

Mesmero allows himself a small smile. _'Soon,'_ he thinks to himself. _'Soon Master Nur you shall be __free and the world will once again tremble at the mere mention of your name.'_

* * *

**Smallville...**

When one thinks of Lex Luthor one might be surprised to learn how many nights he spends sitting, thinking with a troubled brow.

Like anyone else he has things that go for him and things that go against him.

As much trouble as the Lane sisters caused it had all worked out. Lex now had the leverage he needed to complete his takeover of that Zurich hotel.

That series of events also brought, briefly, Clark Kent back into his life. Once upon a time Lex was almost considering Clark like a little brother but he's changed. Well perhaps Lex has changed too. They've both been in very different places for the last 14 months. The connection is no longer there.

And don't get Lex started on this so-called Superman. He has listened enough to Superman's broken promises, especially over Lana. Superman is just another example of what Lex was thinking during the meteor shower. If he wants to accomplish things he can't rely on anyone but himself.

That goes doubly for Fury and SHIELD. Lex cannot believe the sheer incompetence that allowed his father to escape. Then there is the fact Fury made a deal over the stones with Xavier or so Lex had managed to find out. They were suppose to be in a partnership, him and SHIELD, but Lex can see Fury only holds to that sort of agreement for as long as it suits him.

Technically Lex still had a deal with SHIELD. It was a written contract and Lex would uphold it. He always upholds his contracts but he will only uphold it to the exact letter of the contract and not one step beyond. Any side benefits from the project he is working on will be for him alone...and maybe Donald Pierce. That's another person Lex has a contract with.

The project was all about salvaging something positive from his father's research into 'mutant pacification' as it was officially labelled. A lot of it had been lost when the company collapsed.

When Lex says lost he means Fury stole it when SHIELD seized Luthorcorp.

Of course that just brings Lex back to his father. He knew Lionel was out there somewhere and for once Lex couldn't even begin to imagine what his father was planning. Lex is pretty certain that that armoured suit courtesy of Project Prometheus snapped what fragile grip his father had on sanity.

To be blunt his father is insane...and that makes his father more dangerous than ever.

"Where are you dad?" Lex asks, speaking to no-one.

* * *

**Unknown Location...**

A man sits in an empty room apart from a table and two chairs on opposite sides. He is dressed in a prison uniform but this is not prison. He was just broken out of prison and brought here. He is a man of just under 6 foot with hair just above his shoulder and a small trimmed beard and moustache. He has a thuggish appearance in many regards but it belies a sharp, cunning mind of a man with skills in many engineering fields.

The door to his room opens and in walks a man with a thicker beard dressed in a nice suit. "Ivan Vanko," this man address the man in the prison uniform.

Ivan laughs a little. "Lionel Luthor," he says in his thick Russian accent.

Lionel sits himself down opposite the man whose gaze never wavers. "No thank you?" he queries about getting plaudits for arranging the prison break.

Ivan just looks at him.

"You and I, Ivan, can have common cause," Lionel starts with what sounds like the beginning of a proposal.

"Is that so?"

"We both seek revenge on people who have wronged us."

Ivan cocks his head slightly.

"Am I wrong? Do you not hate Stark?"

"He is not who has wronged you," Ivan argues, not seeing what Lionel is getting out of helping him.

"Ah but he is close to allying himself with people who are. You see while I was a 'guest' of SHIELD I learned of a little project they're working on codenamed the Avengers."

"They do not concern me," Ivan dismisses them.

"They should and work with me here, Ivan. Try to see the big picture."

"What picture?"

"We can both have our revenge Ivan. I have a plan...an idea. We don't pick them off one by one. That's too easy. We get them to the same place at the same time and we wipe the board clean of them. That leaves a world open to imprint our superior vision of it upon."

"And what is my part is this precisely?"

"I have the ideas, the plans, you have a gift to make them reality. I saw that suit you made to fight Iron Man and you made that in the equivalent of a garage. Imagine what you could build with more resources."

"What resources?" Ivan asks sceptically. "You're a fugitive."

"I admit I personally don't have the resources any more but I know where we can get them. I know someone, an outcast like us, who can be persuaded to help. The question is Ivan, are you in?"

"You would need an army to do what you propose," Ivan points out, not seeing what Lionel is.

"Trust me Ivan. With your genius we'll have everything we need. All you have to do is agree to work with me."

Ivan is caught by how sure of himself Lionel sounds. He could at least see what it is Lionel is planning first to see if it can help him. To see if their goals are compatible. "I agree...for now," Ivan puts condition on his agreement.

"You want to be cautious, fine," Lionel accepts the lack of enthusiasm. "Now then we should get going," he announces as he rises to feet.

"Going? Where?"

"To meet the person I mentioned who can help us," Lionel answers as he walks round the table. He bends down to bring his lips close to Vanko's ear. "Just a small warning; think of betraying me for your own personal vengeance and you will wish I left you to rot in that prison," he promises venomously.

Ivan turns his head to look in Lionel's dark eyes. There may be madness in there but there is not stupidity. He will have to play this carefully. He smiles pleasantly. "So where is it we're going?" he asks.

Lionel accepts that as Ivan agreeing...or it better be Vanko agreeing or else. "Some place you'll need suntan lotion."

"Good. You won't believe how bad prison is for your skin," Ivan makes the small joke. "Does this place have a name?"

"Yes," Lionel says as he finally straightens up. "It's called Genosha."

* * *

_Author's Note: Couldn't resist that little bit with Deadpool. I thought of doing a whole little scene at HYDRA but I want to save that for when we get closer to when X-23 arrives in the story. Isobel's life sucks don't it...and oh dear whatever am I planning to do to Monet? Her Penance...can't imagine what that will entail. Mesmero's scene was just a reminder that he is still out there, searching for the keys. And Lionel has his man...and they're off to Genosha. Um...yeah. Can't see anything positive coming from that. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the Institute Christmas party and Claire comes to a decision about reconciling her past._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter17

**At the Institute...**

It was the last weekend before Christmas which meant it was the annual party before the students, who had families to return to, headed home. Scott was well enough to be out of the infirmary now even if his ribs were still healing and he had to take it easy on doctor's orders. Jean had promised to ensure he did.

Scott was right now on the phone to his brother, Alex. "So just a Christmas with the folks, huh?" he asks about how Alex is intending to spend it with his foster family in Hawaii. Scott is sad about that. He gets to see Alex so rarely.

"Well you know I would bail out and have a total bitchin time with you if I could bro but these are my family."

"Yeah, I know," Scott says softly.

"So how are you spending you're Christmas?"

"Uh...Jean's parents invited me," Scott answer and you can hear how nervous he is about that.

"Whoa, heavy," Alex remarks at the importance of meeting the folks.

One of these days Scott will finally completely figure out his brother's surfer lingo but that one, luckily, he gets. "I guess it is."

"Meeting your honey's folks, is major mondo heavy bro."

Scott briefly wonders what his parents would make of the way Alex speaks if they were still alive. After all in reality Alex and Scott are Alaskan born and bred. "It's important to Jean," he gives the reason he is doing it.

"Ah, just don't hit the face and wipeout," Alex gives his advice.

"I'll do my best. I do wish you were here Alex."

"Me too, bro. Me too," Alex expresses his genuine wish. "In fact I will be."

"What?" Scott asks, his puzzlement growing.

"Not for Christmas but I was talking it over with the folks and they agreed I could come visit for New Year."

Scott breaks out into a huge smile. "That would be great Alex!" he almost shouts with happiness at the prospect of seeing his brother in person.

"Sure will be," Alex agrees. "Now you take it easy with those ribs of yours," he advises, knowing his brother was hurt a few weeks back.

"I will. I promise. I'll see you soon?"

"A few days after Christmas yeah," Alex gives the rough idea when he will be there. "Catch ya later bro!" he gives his farewells.

"Bye Alex!" Scott says in a very cheery tone. He ends the call and looks at Jean.

Jean is smiling, sharing in her boyfriend's happiness. She knows he hates being so far apart from his little brother. She gives him a quick kiss. "Going to be a good holidays, then," she supposes.

Scott wraps his arms around his gorgeous girlfriend. "It was great just because I had you," he says sincerely. "But now it's going to be off the richter!" he declares it to be, using one piece of surfer slang he has picked up.

Jean snorts with laughter. Scott trying to do surfer speak is just too hilarious for the way he butchers it.

Elsewhere at the party Kurt was chasing Kitty around with a piece of mistletoe, just like last year. Apparently that was a holiday tradition now. She was shouting at him about the fact she has a boyfriend and he has a girlfriend. Kurt retaliates about how it's all just harmless fun in the Christmas spirit and the chase continues. Lockheed flies after them thinking it some sort of fun game.

The students were exchanging gifts. Claire's eyes were full of happiness as she held up Marie's gift for her. A new long coat of red and orange in a flame pattern to replace the one she had been forced to toast when Frost had used the Hellions to 'test' her. "Thank you," she says, her voice choked with unusual emotion.

"Thank you for the top," Marie says back and it she was thankful for it. It was just her style...so Marie thinks Claire got Kitty's help because Claire doesn't have the greatest fashion sense but Marie is touched Claire cares enough to ask for help to make sure she got the right thing.

Martha must admit it is nice to see her daughter looking so happy. Marie is such an odd contrast to Claire in being a peppy outgoing person but when you consider Claire can be a little bit brooding and insular it probably is a good thing. A good partnership is where the two people involved tend to balance each other out.

Jonathan must admit to loving these parties and seeing all the children so happy...except Clark which is understandable. He's still upset over his break-up with Rogue. Hearts do heal in time but how long that takes varies from person to person. For all Clark's steel like qualities he is in fact a deeply emotional person so it will probably be awhile before he is over it.

Sam and Paige were having a talk near the tree.

"Ah can't believe momma still hasn't given birth," Paige says to her brother about their now overdue pregnant mother.

"It's only a few days. It happens," Sam says, trying to reassure Paige not to worry about it.

"So sister or brother?" Paige wonders what they'll get this time.

Sam groans. Paige does this every time a new sibling comes along. "Does it matter?"

"Course it does. If it's a girl we're finally evened out," Paige desires because as it stands at the moment boys are ahead 4 to 3.

Sam sighs. "As long as they're healthy Paige that is what matters."

"Ah'm not arguing that."

"Paige ah'm not getting involved this tahme."

"That's just because ya lost last tahme," Paige reminds him of when Lewis was born. He guessed sister. She guessed brother and she was right and he was wrong, wrong, wrong.

"Ah'm not doing this Paige. Now are y'all packed ta go home?"

"Yeah, ah'm packed."

"Ya don't sound too excited," Sam gathers from her tone. "Aren't ya happy ta see tha family?"

"Of course of ah am," Paige insists. "It's just..."

"What?"

Paige bites her lower lip a little, unsure how to explain this without sounding like she is insulting her family. "It's just ah feel when ah'm here this is where ah am meant ta be, ya know. That this is what ah'm suppose ta do with mah life. It's not that ah don't love our family, of course ah do. Ah would do anything for them."

Sam isn't sure whether to be mad or not. Paige has always been someone who was constantly looking at the horizon like she would prefer to be there instead of on the farm. Paige's head was in the clouds as their ma would often say. He tries to be the big brother with a few words of wisdom. "Paige, it's always important ta visit and hold dear where we came from before so we know tha direction of travel ta where we are going."

Paige looks at him with some confusion. "Ah don't understand."

"Maybe not today but one day ya will. Just do meh a favour and remember it."

"Ok," Paige says, puzzled by what Sam is driving at.

"Hey Paige," a soft spoken voice says.

"Hey Jamie!" Paige says, her whole voice and demeanour lifting immediately.

"I'll miss you," Jamie says.

"Aw you're so sweet," Paige teases and she playfully shoves him.

"I got you a gift," he says as he holds a small wrapped present.

Paige's face bursts into a huge smile. "Thank ya, Jamie, she says as she grabs the gift and rips the paper off. "A watch?"

Jamie shuffles from one foot to another, nervous about whether he chose right. "I know how much you like to jog so this one is not only a stopwatch it can also monitor your heart rate."

"Awesome!" Paige proclaims.

"Really?" Jamie asks, hopeful she means that.

"Yep. You're tha greatest, Jamie," she praises him and then gives him a quick kiss on the cheek making Jamie blush bright red.

Paige snaps the watch on her wrist and takes some time admiring it and working her way through the functions.

Sam looks on at this scene suspiciously. If he didn't know better he would swear there was something going on here between his little sister and Jamie...and there better not be anything going on or he and Jamie will be needing to have words...serious words!

Bobby was leaning against the wall, phone tucked between his ear and shoulder as he talked to Chloe, seeing if there was anyway they could see each other over the holidays. It seemed unlikely as Chloe's father was coming back from his work abroad and this would be the first time in a long while since she had seen him. It was hard for Bobby too as he had to go home as well...although that wasn't fun. As soon as he walked in the door the atmosphere would turn ice cold...no pun intended. Being a mutant made him the black sheep of the family. His family didn't reject him exactly but his genetic status was the secret no-one dare talk about. When he was home he was to be 'normal'. No using his powers. Yeah, it sucked.

"So what are you doing for the holidays, Tabby?" Amara asks her friend.

"Uh...Sam's mother invited me to spend it in Kentucky."

Amara grins. "Going to meet the family, huh?" she queries with a wry grin and playful elbow to Tabby's side. "That's a big step," she teases.

"No. No it's not," Tabby insists, trying to hide her actually worry about meeting Sam's parents. God what if she screws it up. She herself is a bit of a screw-up. What if his parents hate her?

"How long did it take Sam to talk you into it?"

"About a week," Tabby confesses. She really wasn't sure about doing this.

"I take it your father is..."

"Still in jail," Tabby confirms.

"And your mother?" Amara asks and she suddenly realises that Tabby doesn't talk about her mother very much...almost never as fact.

"In rehab last I heard. She has a drinking problem."

"Sorry," Amara winces, a little ashamed she raised such a painful area.

Tabby shrugs trying to show indifference. All she really ever remembers of her mother is this drunk who had no ability to control her life. "So what about you?" Tabby turns the question round. "Going to spend the holidays with Roberto?"

"No. I'm going home."

"For what?" Tabby asks. "You don't celebrate Christmas right?"

"No I don't but we do have a Summer Solstice Festival to celebrate the longest day of the year."

"Summer?" Tabby queries a little lost.

"Nova Roma is south of the equator. It's summer there," Amara explains.

"Oh, right, gotcha," Tabby understands. "So you never said what is going on with you and Roberto?"

"Honestly I'm not sure. I only know it's fun and for now that seems to suit me. After all you are the one who says to live life to the fullest."

"Yeah!" Tabby proclaims with a grin. "That's my girl!" she says with pride in Amara. "If you want to live up to that mantra, here I've got this," she says and she hands over a small plant to Amara.

"Mistletoe?" Amara queries.

"If you want and hey it doesn't have to be Roberto unless you promised to be exclusive."

"Uh, no. We haven't."

"Then go have some fun," Tabby encourages Amara. It would be good to see her girl friend loosen up and enjoy life.

Amara looks at the small plant and then decides why not. Now who could she use it on?

Logan currently has a deep frown on his face. "Your sister wants me to do what?" he asks Storm.

"Vivian wants you to join us for Christmas," Ororo repeats what she was saying which is repeating her sister's invitation.

"Why?" Logan asks, confused.

"Because she wants to meet her sister's boyfriend."

"Ro," Logan instantly cautions. "Ya know I like you but meeting family...I don't do that."

"Oh please Logan," Ororo suddenly begs him. "You don't know how much grief I get. It use to be 'Have you found someone yet Ro? When are you going to find someone Ro? You're not getting any younger Ro," Ororo does an impression of her sister. "Now it's 'What is he like Ro? When are you going to introduce me Ro? Are you ashamed of me Ro? Is that it?"

"She guilt tripped ya?"

"Vivian is a master of it," Ororo complains about her sister. "And I am most certainly not ashamed of her and neither am I ashamed of you. Even if she hadn't been harassing me I would have invited you."

Logan quietly groans.

Ororo reaches forward and takes his hand into her. She rubs his hand with her thumb over his knuckles where his claws emerge. "Logan, this is part of being with me. I have a family," she explains it simply and gently and she wants Logan to start being part of it.

Logan looks into her expectant face. It is really not fair. Who can say no to that face. "I have a family too you know," he points out and he had already accepted he would have to change his normal Christmas routine because of that...well actually Jonathan had made the point he would have to.

"Yes. I told Viv that and that's why she invited Rogue and Domino along as well."

Logan looks at Ororo in complete surprise. "Say what?!" he almost cries out.

"She invited Rogue and Domino," Ororo repeats.

"Is she crazy?" Logan asks bluntly. He's meaning about Domino.

Ororo laughs, a pleasant chiming noise. "Not at all," she assures him. She smiles at him. "Logan, this is what couples do."

Logan's brow furrows as he tries to make himself accept that this is what he has to deal with now. There is only one reply he can give. "You know I'll do anything for ya."

Ororo smiles brilliantly, leans forward and kisses him on the lips. "Come on, we need to tell Rogue and Domino," she says to him and starts to lead him across the room to where Rogue and Domino are hanging out together.

Hank points the couple out to Charles. It was quite funny to see the great Wolverine pulled along by the elegant, regal woman that is Storm.

Charles must admit to a little chuckle. Logan looks like a man who has been partially henpecked into submission.

Rogue is contemplating what a difference a year makes. At last year's party her and Clark had just started dating and she was a flush with all the new feelings. This year her and Clark had recently broken up and she was still trying to get over her feelings of pain and hurt. This Christmas won't be the funnest one ever. At least she has Dom. Rogue briefly wonders where Dom was last year. Dom doesn't tend to talk a great deal about what happened to her before they met...which Rogue completely gets. After all she doesn't talk about her past either.

Course that brings her back to why she and Clark broke up. Speaking of Clark she spots him off more or less by himself, leaning up against the wall looking as miserable as she feels. A small part of herself can't help thinking _'Good!'_. Another part of her sort of wishes they could still work it out but nothing has changed as it stands. So Rogue goes with the sentiment she expressed to him that hopefully they can get back to being friends.

Domino hides it under her babble but Christmas is a sad reminder of something she lost. Last Christmas had been her last truly happy one before Stryker came for her and utterly destroyed everything precious to her. One day...one day she'll make sure he gets his. However this Christmas has its merits too. She has a family, good friends. She had rebuilt a life for herself. Not the one she lost, she's never getting that back but this life is almost as good in its way. In that way she is already sticking it to Stryker by not letting him win in turning her into what he desired. In that way she guesses she has one thing in common with Logan. Speaking of Logan he is coming over looking like he just witnessed the Grim Reaper coming for him. "What s'up Hairy?" Domino asks as Logan and Storm come over.

Logan looks to Ororo. "She's your sister, not mine," he says as in it should be Ororo that passes on Vivian's request.

Ororo conceded Logan was correct. "I have a proposal for the two of you from my sister." she begins and then lays it on the two girls.

Not too far away Evan overhears. His eyes widen. Seriously?! Logan?! Rogue?! Domino?! Man what is his mother thinking?

Clark sighs. He does love Christmas but equally he is going to spend it single once again. Even if he was in the mood to consider he was ready to move on how does he? Won't he end up with the same issues of having to keep secrets? Even if he goes with the ridiculously optimistic idea that he'll meet someone and he'll just feel able to be completely honest with them that still leaves the question of date who? Outside the circle of friends who know who and what he really is he would be forced back into the state he was with Lana. Hiding and lying about who he really is.

Yep. Being single sucks but there is no going back. It's too late for that even if a part of him still wants that. A part of him will probably always love Rogue but what has changed? Nothing.

"You too, huh?" Ray asks him.

Clark arches an eyebrow and looks at the electricity generator.

"You know miserable, lonely and single," Ray explains he knows the feeling.

"Sucks," Clark sums it up succinctly.

"Oh definitely," Ray agrees. Kinda hard to get a girlfriend when everyone knows you're a mutant. "I'm going to see what Roberto is up to," he suddenly decides to try and find a distraction.

Clark watches him go. Well Ray has just disproved the saying misery loves company...and now Clark's back to being lonely and brooding. Yep. So much fun. The sarcasm is award winning.

"Hi Clark!"

Clark turns his head slightly and drops his gaze down to find Amara standing there, hands behind her back. His brow furrows due to how...well peppy her voice sounded there. "Hi Amara," he replies. "Looking forward to going home?"

"Yep. It'll be interesting."

"In what way?"

"To see what effect it will have had on my people to have had a God walk amongst us," she teases, her voice taking on a tone that makes Clark presence there sound epic.

Clark groans.

Amara lightly laughs at his reaction.

"Is this why you came here? To annoy me?"

"Partly. I also wanted to ask you a question if I may."

"Sure," Clark permits her.

"Ok. It's this...hey what's that!" she suddenly points at something.

Clark looks to where she is pointing. "What's what?" he asks, not seeing anything that would generate that sort of reaction.

"Oh I guess it's nothing," Amara says apologetically. "Anyway back to my question. Could you do me a favour, look up and tell me what that is?"

Clark tilts his head back to find Amara has used the distraction to hold a piece of mistletoe above his head. He looks down at her with a puzzled expression.

Amara smiles as innocent as she can be. "All in the holiday spirit!" she declares.

Clark's eyes glance up at the mistletoe and back down at Amara with a wary stance. Her behaviour has been a bit different lately. From his experiences of being with Rogue and of being Kal he would say she has been acting out although what she is acting out against or because of he couldn't tell you.

"Oh come on Clark. Don't chicken out," Amara goads him. "You told me about what a great tradition this was, remember."

He does. Last year had been Amara's first Christmas ever and she inevitably had had a lot of questions for everyone about, what was to her, this strange celebration. Somehow Clark got the mistletoe one. He looks at her with this expectant expression. It is a tradition he supposes so he lowers his head and gently presses his lips to hers. He only means it to be a peck but Amara wraps her hand around the back of his head and kisses him much deeper than that before he can react.

"Whoo!" Tabby cheers as she spots this. "Thata girl Mara!" she encourages her friend on. Tabby must admit to admiring Mara's gumption for going and snagging the 2nd best looking guy here(after her Sammy naturally).

Roberto has to look twice. Seriously that's going a little too far for a kiss under the mistletoe between friends. He means isn't she suppose to be dating him?

When the kiss ends Amara's olive skin is just that much more glowing, especially on her cheeks. "Thanks Clark. That was great!" she says before she struts...yes literally struts off with a bounce in her steps.

Clark just stands there rigid, nonplussed, stunned really, wondering what the hell that was about.

* * *

Later Claire is heading to her room to change into something else after the party. This was her last night together with Marie who was going back to France to be with her family and wouldn't be back to the New Year.

Christmas...it does hold memories even for Claire. Not last Christmas obviously. She was in Lionel's lab last Christmas. It wasn't until after New Year that Stryker chose her for his team. No she is thinking of other Christmases before that.

Claire passes Kurt's room and finds him kneeling, praying. That brings memories up too of many a Christmas. She finds herself knocking on his door.

"Claire," Kurt says with a surprise at seeing her.

"Am I disturbing you?"

"Nein," Kurt says with a shake of his head. "Vhat troubles you?"

Claire steps into the room. "Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly," Kurt offers himself up. It is the 1st time Claire has ever come to him as matter of fact.

"You really believe in all this right? God, Jesus and shit?"

Kurt winces slightly at her profanity in the same sentence as the Lord. "Ja. I believe in it," he confirms for her and can see she is very uncomfortable. "Vhatever you say I promise vill never leave here," he gives her his word.

Claire's face is a mixture of emotions as she struggles with herself. "When I was growing up on the streets on Metropolis there was this preacher who would come round to where the homeless hanged out and you know try and spread the word and give people hope and stuff. At Christmas he and the church volunteers would come round with clothes and hot food."

Kurt nods, following her.

"It's weird but I miss that. He was...god he was always trying to tell me that God loved me which, believe you me, I found fucking hard to believe considering I was a freak who had no-one."

"God does love you," Kurt assures her. He believes God loves everyone.

"Really? Then explain to me the pile of shit that has been my life?"

"God's plan is not alvays clear to us but vhatever trial he put you through vas for a reason."

"Like what?"

"Zhink about zhis. I know your life has been hard..."

Claire cuts him off. "No offence Kurt but you haven't a fucking clue."

"Don't I? Can you imagine vhat growing up looking like I do vas like? I vas chased by mobs vith torches and pitchforks."

"No fucking way!" Claire has a hard time believing that.

"Yes," Kurt says with much sadness.

"Weren't you angry?"

"Nein. I only prayed to God to grant zhem forgiveness and enlighten zheir souls to the truth of his love and understanding."

Claire just can't fathom that. She would have been so fucking angry to have burned their houses down.

Kurt returns to what he was saying about God having a plan. "As I vas saying if you hadn't lived zhe life you have you vould never have come here and found your mozher. It vas God's plan to bring you together."

"I...um that sounds like something Father Mulcahy would say," Claire admits, revealing the name of the preacher she knew. "He use to say...he talked a lot about God's forgiveness..."

Kurt looks at her curiously. He wonders if this is truly what it is about. "God's forgiveness is infinite."

"That's what he said. I...it can't..." she starts to stumble over her words as she chokes on her emotions. "He wouldn't forgive me if he knew what I had done."

"I doubt zhat."

"I killed people Kurt!" Claire suddenly snaps. "I killed them! They're dead!"

Kurt remains calm and slowly walks toward her. "It is not zhis Father Mulcahy's forgiveness you seek Claire, nor God's, it is yourself you must forgive."

"I-I can't," she whispers, choking back a sob as tears start to leak from her orange eyes.

Kurt wraps his arms around her and she doesn't resist. "Yes, you can."

"I'm a monster."

"No. You are not," Kurt says resolutely. "Monsters don't cry." Kurt tightens his hold upon her trying to give her his strength. He wonders just how long this has been beneath the surface waiting to burst out within the fiery girl.

"I can never make up for what I did. I just got so angry," she tearfully whispers.

"I am not asking for you to make up for it. I am asking you to forgive yourself."

"I'm going to hell aren't I?"

"Nein. God is love, God is understanding. He knows who you truly are in your heart even if ve do not ourselves know."

"I hate them. For what they did to me," she says venomously.

And that could be the reason behind why she lashed out at those MRD guys. She was lashing out with her hatred of Lionel and Stryker...or Kurt thinks anyway. "I feel sorrow for zhem to have zheir hearts so empty zhey can no longer feel love for zheir fellow man."

"Kurt no offence but that's a load of bull," Claire says with some of her spark returning. "They're just assholes, evil assholes."

"Lets just agree to disagree."

"I'm still a murderer."

"You don't need punished or locked up Claire," Kurt feels Claire is hinting at by saying that. "You have already punished yourself enough. You ran avay from your home and avay from your friends vhy? Because you believed you didn't deserve zhem, yes?"

"I don't. Nor do I deserve my mother."

"Yet your mozher vas heartbroken vhen you left even before she knew she vas your mozher and despite knowing vhat you had done. And vhen you vere reunited she velcomed you into her family, vhy?"

"I don't know," Claire says, still not trying to leave Kurt's embrace.

"Because she knows deep down in your heart you are a good person...and so do I." Kurt truly does not believe she needs locked up. In fact that could be the worse thing possible to do to her when she is so obviously delicate beneath her profanity littered surface.

"I can't forgive myself Kurt. I tried telling myself I didn't care what I had done instead because I couldn't live with the guilt, the pain, the shame."

"Ve all suffer pain. Vhat defines us is vhat ve do vith it. Sadly some people lose zhemselves to zhe darkness. Ozhers use zhat pain to motivate zhemselves to do good deeds. I believe you are vone of zhe people who vill do zhe latter. It may not be today or tomorrow but vone day you vill do great zhings."

"Kurt...I don't have faith like you do."

"Zhat's ok. I have enough faith for both of us."

"I wouldn't tell your girlfriend that. She might get jealous"

Kurt bursts out into a laugh at the joke. "Vhat about your girlfriend if she saw us like zhis?"

"Good point," Claire says as she pulls back. She wipes the tears off her face. "You're probably disappointed I haven't collapsed into a sobbing mess aren't you."

"Everyone reacts differently. Zhere is no right or wrong vay to deal vith vhat you are dealing vith, Claire."

Claire goes and sits on Kurt's bed and he sits next to her. "I don't know why I came here or told you all of this now," she admits, confused by her actions.

"Perhaps God simply decided it vas time and inspired you thusly."

"Kurt, that's a load of bull," Claire tells him with a smirk.

"I take it this Father Mulcahy never managed to persuade you to join the fold."

"Hell no!"

"Can ve avoid using zhe word hell, please?" Kurt requests.

"Oh don't you start. Father Mulcahy was always trying to get me to stop swearing and he never managed it and he tried for years."

"Vhat vas he like?"

"The strangest priest I have ever met. You know he boxed in his spare time."

Kurt grins at the image. "How do you know zhat?"

"Well...we talked you know. He was just about the only friend I had. He taught me to read and write."

"Truly?"

"Well...yeah. How do you think I knew how to when I have lived on the streets since I was 5?"

"He sounds like a good man," Kurt gives his opinion based on what he has head thus far.

"He was...he is I guess. I haven't seen him since Lionel's men snatched me. He probably thinks I'm dead."

"Zhere's zhis vonderful modern invention. It's called a telephone."

"Kurt your humour is just as shitty as my brother's. Just stop," Claire advises him.

"Claire if he is important to you let him know you're alive," Kurt tells her.

"And say what? That I killed people?"

Kurt sighs. That's obviously going to stay with Claire for a very long time. "Zhat's up to you."

"I don't know. I do miss him and..." Claire stops.

"And?" Kurt queries as he turns to look at her and he can see her expression is far off. "Claire?"

Claire blinks. "Sorry. Marie said...she was reading her cards and said I would meet a preacher from my past. That I would go on a trip to reconcile my past."

"Vell maybe zhe reason you are raising zhis now is zhat it is zhe time to do so."

"Well...Christmas is still a few days off isn't it. I mean I suppose I could go to Metropolis," Claire finds herself contemplating it. "I'll need to discuss it with mom," she decides. She rises to her feet and heads for the door. She pauses momentarily. "Kurt, thanks...for, you know, listening to me."

"No problem," Kurt assures her. He's honoured she chose him to share with.

Claire manages a small smile before she goes off to find her mother.

* * *

**The next day...**

The following morning is all about getting the students where they need to be to get home if they are going home, should that mean train station or bus station, if that means flying getting them to the airport...or in Amara's case being flown home on the x-jet. Logan was doing that right now. Amara had left first thing this morning due to how long a trip it was.

They are all gathered out the front of the mansion putting their bags into the correct vehicle, saying their goodbyes to each other.

"I can't, like, believe another year has totally passed by already," Kitty says as she prepares to head home to Illinois.

"Ya can't?" Rogue questions that with some understandable scepticism when you consider what has happened to them this last year with mutants being exposed only one of the many, many highlights.

"What I can't believe is that there was someone brave or foolish enough to be your boyfriend," an annoyingly chirpy tone teases.

"Drop dead, Clark!" Kitty shouts at him. Her shouting startles Lockheed, who as usual, is perched on her shoulder.

Rogue sniggers. Clark and Kitty are still great entertainment. "Well he does have a point," she just has to add to irritate Kitty further.

"I so liked it better when you two were fighting," Kitty scowls.

Rogue and Clark look at each other. The pain was easing slowly.

"We never really fought all that much," Clark feels is the truth.

"Yeah. It was more a case of not speaking ta each othah about things that was tha problem," Rogue gives her assessment of the failure of their relationship.

"Yeah well I'm going to like comfort myself with the image of you, Logan and Domino sharing family time at Storm's sister's," Kitty says.

Rogue pales slightly. Somehow she ended up being talked into that and only afterwards realised that essentially this is the first thing she and Logan will have done where she will be publicly recognised to be his daughter and therefore can be...no, no doubt will be horribly embarrassed by him.

It is Clark turn to snigger. It is a funny image.

Rogue folds her arms across her chest and scowls at him. "Ya know now ah can remember why we broke up."

"My loss, huh?"

"Definitely," Rogue confirms.

Clark just lets Rogue win this round.

Kitty sighs. Not just because she is still saddened by Clark and Rogue's break-up but going home means being away from Peter for a couple of weeks. God, it is going to be torture. She is already missing him. His humour, his charm, his dorky smile, his uncouth brown hair, those chocolate brown eyes, those enticing lips, his ripped body...is it her or is there a sudden warm spell going on around here.

Claire is just saying her final goodbyes to Marie...which apparently includes kissing the breath of her girlfriend. "I'll miss you," she says, breathless herself.

"I'll miss you too," Marie tells her. "But it's only a couple of weeks. It'll be gone before you know it," she says being the peppy, optimistic one of the relationship.

Claire smiles timidly.

"Remember what I said when I read your cards. You'll have a choice to make."

Claire's brow furrows. "This Angel of Vengeance you mentioned?"

Marie nods. "I'll know you'll make the right choice," she says with complete confidence in her girlfriend.

"What choice?"

"That's not for me to tell you. Just...don't let your anger guide you," Marie offers the only advice she can.

Claire arches an eyebrow. "Hello! Have you met me?" she asks rhetorically. Anger is literally part of who she is.

Marie giggles before she leans in and whispers in Claire's ear with deep, throaty passion. "Sachez que mon coeur appartient à vous et à utiliser sa force pour éclairer votre chemin."

Claire is a little puzzled since she is still in the process of learning French. Marie's teaching her but languages aren't her strong point so it is slow going. Bottom line is she didn't catch that. Other bottom line she finds the accent such a turn on and when Marie starts whispering sweet nothings into her ear in French...Claire's amazed she hasn't burned the mansion down yet.

Marie gives Claire a quick kiss, picks up her bags and heads for the x-van which is taking everyone going to the airport. Domino had...well she had been volunteered for that job by Logan. She would get him back for this. She swore. An hour, if not more, of whiny mutant teenagers asking 'Are we there yet?'. Oh Logan was so dead.

Storm was taking the few others who has trains or buses to catch to the local stations in the Professor's car.

Ray was once again going to spend the holidays with his old friends amongst the Morlocks. He felt it an obligation to go and spend time with the people who took him in after his parents kicked him out.

Kitty was taking one moment longer to say her fond goodbyes to Lockheed. As much as she wishes she could take him home there was no way she could get a little purple dragon onto any sort of public transport. She lifts him onto Claire's shoulders. After Kitty herself Lockheed really seemed to like the fiery girl. Probably because she is that fiery girl and Lockheed is a dragon who breathes fire. They have a connection.

Claire finds she likes the dragon...especially the way Lockheed irritates Drake so she doesn't mind looking after him...or she will look after him after she finishes an...errand she has to do.

Kitty gives Lockheed a sad smile before she is the last one into the x-van. That left Hank, the Professor, Martha, Jonathan, Claire, Clark, Rogue, Scott, Jean and Spyke to wave everyone off. Jean and Scott were not driving to her parents until Christmas Eve which is when Rogue, Domino, Spyke, Storm and Logan would be leaving too for Vivian and Carl's.

Christmas Eve was also when Wanda would return from Dr Strange's. She wanted to spend Christmas at the Institute as she had indicated over the phone which was perfectly fine by the Professor.

After the vehicles are out of view the group start to slowly head back inside. Rogue pauses for a moment to bask in the weak winter sun. It's a little weird but even as cold as it is the sun seems to elevate her mood lately.

"Clark?" Claire queries as they slowly walk back in.

"Yes?"

"You speak French right?"

"Yes," Clark confirms.

"What does ' Sachez que mon coeur appartient à vous et à utiliser sa force pour éclairer votre chemin' mean?" she asks, wanting to know what Marie said.

"Apart from the fact you butchered the pronunciation?" Clark remarks at how awful it was.

"I know how to hurt you," Claire threatens him.

"Roughly it means, Know that my heart belongs to you and use its power to illuminate your path."

"Her heart belongs to me...wait. Did Marie just say she loves me?"

"What do you think?"

"She can't love me. She doesn't know me," Claire insists.

"Claire," Clark says stopping her with a touch to her arm.

Claire stops and looks at him.

"Sometimes this..." he points at her heart, "can get way ahead of this." He points at her head.

"Clark," Claire croaks slightly. "She doesn't know me. None of you really do."

"Isn't that why we're going to Metropolis?" he asks her. Claire had told them...everything she told Kurt, through sobs and cries but she never dissolved into a mess completely. Claire told them of what Marie said and that she desired to go to Metropolis to resolve her past. Their mother instantly jumped into saying that they all needed to go and their mother was right. This was the most Claire had ever opened up to them and this was something they needed to do as a family.

"None of you have to come. I can fly there myself," Claire insists.

"Of course we have to come, Claire. We're family. This is what we do for each other," Clark argues back with her.

Claire has a look of deep uncertainty in her eyes but says, "Thank you...but what the hell am I suppose to do about Marie?"

"Do you love her back?"

"I don't know. I've never been in love before," she points out so can't really know whether what she feels is love or not.

"Perhaps that's why Marie spoke it in French because she knew it is something you would need to think on. That being the case it shows she has a good understanding of you."

"Or she's a coward not wanting to just come out and say it?"

"What do you think? Is she a coward? Is someone who leaves the Hellions, risks their wrath and possibly her parents wrath as well a coward?"

"Oh get off this fucking boyscout train already," Claire complains at how he has to make her see it from all sides.

Clark grins proudly at her insult. "The answer is, no, she is not a coward. Now at least you have a couple of weeks to think about it."

"Shouldn't I just know if I'm in love?"

"It's not that simple. Take it from the brother with the broken heart."

"I can still fry Rogue if you want," Claire offers.

"You are the one retaliating for me against Dom's retributions."

"Damn straight I am!" Claire announces proudly. She wasn't letting Domino get away with it.

"Why?"

"Uh, we're family!"

"Exactly."

Claire takes a moment to figure out what he means by that. Right. The whole going to visit her past escapade. It won't be fun but at least she will have her family with her. She wonders what Father Mulcahy's reaction will be when she shows up with her family in tow. The look on his face alone might make this trip worthwhile.

* * *

A short time later Claire, Martha and Jonathan are loaded up in the old red pick-up truck. It's almost amazing it has survived everything this last year and a bit. Lockheed had been handed over to Jean until Claire got back.

"You ready?" Clark asks them through the open window.

Jonathan looks to Martha who has her arm around Claire's shoulders for support. He knew this trip was an important step in bonding their new enlarged family closer together. "Ready when you are Clark," Jonathan tells his son.

Clark, in his Superman costume for reasons that will become apparent, bends down and picks the truck up and lifts it over his head. That's right. To save on the near day trip driving takes to get to Metropolis from Bayville Clark is going to run them there in 30 minutes. Well close to there. He'll stop a little outside Metropolis and they'll drive the rest of the way.

Anyway it is easier to explain off Superman carrying the truck. He can claim it broke down and he was helping them if someone happens to spot them.

Clark sets off at a gentle acceleration. Accelerate too fast and the g-forces would risk damage to the truck. He sets his course for Metropolis and the course for a trip into his sister's past life.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

The nation of Genosha is a crescent shaped island north-east of Madagascar. While not the largest nation on Earth it was blessed with an unusually high concentration of raw materials making it very wealthy for its small size. It means it has managed to attract large numbers of multinationals to the island...under the strictest of controls. It will not have its wealth syphoned off to foreigners.

While it calls itself the 'Free' Republic of Genosha it is in fact a military dictatorship in reality.

One of the many companies attracted to the island includes Shaw Industries. Yes that Shaw.

They have a large factory on the island and to run it Shaw sent his son Shinobi.

Shinobi was 22, tall, slender, had medium length black hair and his father's green eyes. Like his father he was also a mutant. He had the ability to control his density allowing him to become as hard as diamond or completely intangible. He had what you could call a 'pretty face'. Right now it is twisted into a scowl...as it had been since his father sent him to this mosquito infected hellhole of an island.

Shinobi knew what this was about. It was one of his father's 'punishments'.

This was an exile...and for what?

For not living up to his father's impossibly high standards.

Well forgive him. We can't all be as perfect as his friggin father!

Shinobi is heading into the factory at what is evening time on Genosha. As much as it galls him he has to do some paperwork or he will get one of _those _calls from his father berating him again. This was so beneath him.

Shinobi opens his office door to find someone in his chair, feet on his desk, drinking his good scotch, reading over the paperwork.

"You know you really shouldn't get behind on the paperwork Shinobi," the man sitting there lightly critiques. "You find it tends to pile up."

"Lionel Luthor?!" Shinobi almost can't believe his eyes.

Lionel smiles genteelly. "Hello Shinobi," the older man greets the younger one. "Been awhile."

"I thought you were in prison."

"We are all in a prison, Shinobi. My eyes have been opened to see this...and to see how we all free ourselves from it."

"I don't recall you ever being my philosophy teacher."

"You should consider me as such. I have much enlightenment to give you."

"How about you enlighten me as to why I shouldn't call the authorities?"

Lionel chuckles.

"What's so funny?"

"You really think even I could sneak onto Genosha unknown? I'm flattered if you do but even I'm not that good."

"They know you're here?"

"Cameron Hodge and I go way back," Lionel gives an explanation. Cameron Hodge was an important person in the Genoshan government and an old good friend of Lionel's.

"What do you want?"

"So...this is where your father sent you into exile huh?" Lionel asks with a wry grin.

"That's rich considering...where was it you sent Lex? Tinyville?"

"Smallville," Lionel corrects Shinobi.

"Whatever," Shinobi dismiss the importance of the name. His point is Lionel did the same thing to his son as Shinobi's father is doing to him.

"And it worked," Lionel feels he should point out about the effect it had on Lex.

"He stole your company."

"He proved himself a true Luthor," Lionel says with what sounds like actual pride. Then he notices the look on Shinobi's face. "Surprised?" he asks at Shinobi's apparent reaction.

Astounded would be more accurate. If it was Shinobi he would be steaming mad at having lost apparently everything except Lionel sits there calm as you like, as if it all didn't really matter to him. Shinobi doesn't get it.

"As I said Shinobi, my eyes have been opened," Lionel offers the only explanation he is willing to at the moment. "And I am here to offer to do the same for you."

"How about you offer to get your feet off my desk," Shinobi sternly says. His patience, which he never had much of to start with, at its end.

Lionel lowers his feet and stands up. "I have an offer for you."

"Not interested," Shinobi says with a sneer.

"Why?"

"Because you're a traitor. How about we start with that?"

Lionel smiles amused. "I have grown beyond being bothered by such labels."

"Leave. I have work to do," Shinobi dismisses Lionel.

"Ah yes, work. For your father."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Shinobi asks, irritated by Lionel's tone.

"What is it you want, Shinobi? From life I mean?"

"For the moment getting off this island."

"Why?"

"I have to explain that!" he cries, thinking it pretty self-explanatory.

"Everything you need is here."

"And what is it I need since you seem to have all the answers."

"To seize your destiny."

Shinobi's eyes narrow.

Lionel continues. "Lets look at your situation. I can leave and you can go back to your paperwork, trying to do just enough to persuade your father to end your exile...and then what? You know it will never be good enough for him. You will spend your whole life trying to prove yourself to him. You will spend your whole life doing what he wants you to do instead of what you want to do. In the end your destiny will be whatever your father decides for you. You can be so much more than that, Shinobi."

The words ring true because Shinobi does believe he can be much, much more than that. He is already more than that. His father just won't see it. "What do you want?"

"To help you. To help you see and free yourself from the prison that your father has built around you. To help you seize your true destiny...and in return I need a few small favours. I need access to the resources you have here at your command."

"For what?"

"To free everyone from the prison they cannot see. I'm...no we're going to reshape the world Shinobi. Reshape it into a much better place. All I'm asking is for you to understand this and grasp the opportunity I am presenting you with."

"How?"

"You see this place as a punishment. I see it as the place to build a grand future. Think about what exists here on Genosha. Abundant natural resources and technology the equal of anywhere in the world...and I brought a few guests with me who can push that technology to the next level. Release the shackles you let your father put you in Shinobi and I will show you a path where your father will become an irrelevance."

Shinobi isn't sure...although sticking it to his father does sound appealing. Perhaps he could at least see what it is Lionel is proposing in detail first. "How do we begin?"

Lionel smiles with a dark gleam in his eye. This was the beginning. The beginning of a whole new world brought about by him...and no-one is going to be untouched by it.

* * *

_Author's Note: Huh, so a journey to Claire's past while her half-brother falls to the Lionel-side. Gee that's harsh...it also will make it interesting the day Claire and Shinobi finally meet. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the trip to Claire's past and the début of a certain vigilante._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**City of Metropolis, Kansas...**

As the truck drives through Metropolis Claire has a few thoughts. One is, with Clark now in the truck she is getting squashed. Seriously her brother had to be the size of a sasquatch. Two; it has been a really long time since she was last in Metropolis...or maybe it just seems that way. It had to have been 18 months ago Lionel snatched her off the streets. Claire stares out the window at the city as her mind plays back to that moment...

_15 year old Claire Selton gasps for breath as she runs through the narrow alleys and streets of the area of Metropolis known as Suicide Slums. She runs because she is being chased by these paramilitary guys in black uniforms. She doesn't know who they are or what they want with her of all people._

_Claire has never done anything to warrant the attention of anyone this powerful. She's a freak...an outcast. It has been this way since she was 5 years old and she almost burnt down the orphanage she was in due to the fact she has these fire generating powers. Those other kids shouldn't have teased her. They made her angry and when she gets angry...things burn._

_Afterwards Claire did the only thing she could think of to do after everyone saw her literally alive with fire; she ran away onto the streets and has been here ever since eking out her survival. She knew, even as a little girl, that no-one would want her so she kept low profile. She just barely registered on the edge of society._

_Over the years whenever people saw her abilities their reaction(bar one person) only ever reinforced her belief that this was how she had to live her life. The look of fear...of disgust...she's a freak. That's all she'll ever be._

"_There she is!" one of her pursuers shouts as Claire dives through a hole in a fence._

_Claire scrambles back to her feet and keeps running. She racks her brain about who she could have ticked off. It had to be one of the crime bosses to have sent their own personal army after her. Edge...no. Mannheim...no. Sixty...there was that thing but seriously this seems a little overboard to go through this much effort to get back at her. Abbott...she's never even insulted one of his flunkies never mind the man himself. A'daire...the reaction she got around the sexy redhead made Claire realise she was gay...but apart from that she has never done anything._

_Ok. Great. So Claire can't possibly think who she has ticked off. It could be anyone of a lot of people really. Despite her wish to remain on the fringes of society she has an issue with her temper and she tends to snap and insult people._

_Claire grabs some trash cans and throws their contents down before sending a stream of fire at it and setting it alight which will hopefully stop her pursuers from following her. Claire sprints off, not hanging around to check. _

_Claire squeezes herself into the gap between two buildings and takes a breather. Normally she fights...in fact she tried that. They just kept coming no matter what she did. Claire grows deathly quiet as she hears voices._

"_Do not tell me you've lost her," one man complains. "Luthor will have our head!"_

_Luthor? Why the hell would Luthor be after her? Claire can't for the life of her figure that out._

"_No I have not lost her," another man says in reply. "I have her thermal signature locked into the scanner. There is nowhere she can go."_

_Thermal signature? "Shit!" she swears and then realises what she did. Her hand desperately goes to cover her mouth but she knows it is too late. Claire gulps. The men have gone quiet too. Oh god, oh god, oh god. Yeah Father Mulcahy would be finding it ironic she is saying that after all the times she told him she didn't believe in God._

_There is the sound of something being fired and Claire finds herself coated in some sort of browny powder. A hand grabs her and yanks her out of her hiding place. She kicks the guy right between the legs and he releases her._

"_Fucking asshole! Prepare to fry!" she promises and summons up her powers only nothing happens. She tries again._

_Nothing._

"_What the fuck?!" Claire exclaims._

"_Fire retardant," the guy she kicked says through a groan explaining what she has been coated with._

_Claire finds herself surrounded. A dozen men with weapons aimed at her. She glares at them defiantly. "You can all kiss my..."_

_Claire never finishes it as 3 small darts are fired into her and she collapses to the ground unconscious._

"Claire, Honey. We're here," her mother's voice breaks her out of her revere.

Claire blinks and finds they have come to a stop outside a small church. In Suicide Slums it is only a small wooden building. Nothing here is ever built to code. Suicide Slum is basically what it says it is. It's the dirt poorest part of Metropolis. Poverty, crime, corruption are rife here. To come here is to commit suicide...hence the name. This is the part of Metropolis no-one is suppose to see. The dark stain on the underbelly of the gleaming supposed City of Tomorrow.

How the heck Claire survived here for a decade even with her powers frankly amazes even herself.

The Kent/Selton family get out of the truck and stand in front of the church, giving Claire a moment...or three to ready herself.

Clark pushes his glasses up his nose and tries to block out the sound. Metropolis is a city as large as New York. 8 million plus people pounding away at his head.

Claire takes a breath. "You'd better have been right about this, Marie," she murmurs under her breath because she isn't sure she is suppose to be here at all.

"What was that, honey?" Martha asks her daughter.

"Nothing. It was nothing," she replies too sharply. "Lets get the fuck this over with," she declares.

Martha looks to Jonathan with a pained expression. It was hurting her to know her daughter was hurting and not be able to do anything about it.

Jonathan places a reassuring hand on his wife's shoulder. "She just needs us to be here. Give her time," he advises in waiting for Claire to really open up about her life.

Martha nods and smiles at her husband.

The 2 adults and 2 teenagers walk up the path and few steps and into the church. As soon as they step inside they are greeted by a rather short, wiry man with brown hair which was beginning to grey. He has a pair of small round glasses on his face. The fact he is dressed in priest's clothes reveal his identity. He greets them and welcomes them to the service. It is Sunday after all. "Welcom..." he stops mid-welcome when he spots the fiery haired girl. "Claire?"

"Hi Father Mulcahy," Claire says in a tone of reverence no-one in the Kent family knew she was capable of. "Miss me?" she jokes meekly.

"Claire," Father Mulcahy repeats her name, with more strength and warmth and fondness. "Where have you been?" he asks, his worry clear in his tone.

"That's...uh...a long story."

Father Mulcahy looks at her curiously before his gaze registers the people standing with her and the fact the older woman has her arm around Claire. "Who are your friends?" he asks.

Claire flicks her hair back nervously. "Funny story," she babbles nervously. "As it turns out the Seltons were my adopted parents. This is my...uh..."

"Biological mother," Clark murmurs quietly providing her the term to use.

"Biological mother," Claire repeats Clark's words. "This is Martha Kent. Mom, this is Father Mulcahy."

Martha offers her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Father."

Father Mulcahy takes a moment to let that sink in before he takes the hand. "It's very nice to meet you," he says back as his gaze shifts between the woman and the younger girl. As his eyes shift back and forth between them he can really start to see features in their faces that they share.

"My husband, Jonathan," Martha introduces him.

Father Mulcahy shakes his hands with the blond haired man. "Are you..."

Jonathan can guess what the question is. "No. I'm not her biological father. That was...someone else."

Father Mulcahy can hear a certain tension in the tone that indicates this is a touchy subject.

Jonathan's tone lightens. "Although I'm hoping one day she might let me take the job."

Claire remains silent about that. She likes Jonathan, as he insists she call him, but there are too many issues with her biological father to deal with. "This is my brother, Clark," Claire introduces him, moving things on asap.

Father Mulcahy shakes the...boy's hand although boy is stretching the definition. Father Mulcahy was not a huge man and this boy towered over him.

Father Mulcahy has so many questions. 18 months ago or so Claire just vanished and he must admit to fearing the worse but there is no time for questions. He has a service to conduct. "I hope you enjoy today's service and if I may ask I'll hope you'll stay after."

"We will. It's why we're here," Martha answers that a little vaguely.

Father Mulcahy smiles lightly and gives them a nod as the Kent family go take a seat. He watches them for a few moments, long enough to see the playful sibling banter break out between Claire and her brother and for the parents to scold them slightly. It was amazing to see it because he has known Claire for over a decade and had never seen her act like that. To see her as part of a family is a stark contrast to the 1st time he laid eyes upon her.

* * *

**12 years ago...**

Father Francis John Patrick Mulcahy knew that answering God's call would not be easy. He accepted that. Being assigned to the parish of Suicide Slums in Metropolis was certainly a test but if it was the Divine's Will, and as a priest he had to believe it was, then he would face his test with his faith to guide him through it.

The people who lived here had very little but he was determined to do what he could to bring a little glimmer of hope into their lives. It wasn't easy with the gangs that plagued this area. He himself had been shot at on more than one occasion.

Right now he is in the church hall just packing up after a charity drive. Clothes and food had been donated for those even worse off. The homeless mainly. Tomorrow he and a few volunteers would go to where the homeless tend to convene and hand them out.

It wasn't much but it was something to help the poor unfortunates who had fallen on hard times.

He steps outside to throw some rubbish out and when he returns he finds his bags of clothes being rummaged through by a small figure. "What do you think you are doing?" he demands in stern tones.

The figure jumps back and Father Mulcahy gets a look at a small girl with messy fiery orange hair and oddly orange eyes...and even more oddly she is holding her hands out in his direction and they are encased in fire. Well now there's something you don't see everyday.

"Take it easy," he says in softer tones.

"I-I don't want to hurt you," the girl stammers in a small voice. "I just need some clothes."

"You could have asked," Father Mulcahy says in a perfectly reasonable tone.

"Just...just leave me alone," the girl begs of him.

Father Mulcahy can see it in her eyes. She's petrified of him even when she's the one with the strange fire powers. He's reserving judgement on that. "Ok," he says. "I'll leave you."

He then turns and leaves...but he will be back.

Claire wasn't going to really hurt the priest but she just needed clothes. After fleeing the orphanage she had only what she was wearing which wasn't much. Then she spotted the charity drive and people bringing clothes and she knew what she had to do. Was it wrong? Maybe. But she needed clothes. A 5 year old's mind really isn't up to making judgements on morality.

Claire finds some clothes that are roughly the right size. Her young mind doesn't quite realise her choices are of reds and oranges, the colour of fire. She slips a red coat on and prepares to leave.

"Going already?"

Claire spins round and glares. The priest was back. "I'm going now."

The priest holds out a plate and Claire can see food laid upon it. "How about a snack before you go?"

In response Claire's stomach growls loudly. She unconsciously licks her lips. She has been scouring garbage bins for food since she left the orphanage. She is now caught in a war between her instinct to flee and her instinct to eat.

Father Mulcahy bends down and places the plate down on the floor. "I'm just going to put this here, ok?" he says in non-threatening tones. He then backs up across the room and sits himself down on a chair. He waits and prays a little and waits. The girl tentatively moves toward the food, watching him warily. Good God she had to be only 5 or 6.

Hunger wins out and Claire grabs the plate and hastily backs up several paces but she doesn't flee as she greedily scoffs the food down.

"So can I know your name? Mine's Father Mulcahy."

"Claire," she snaps between bites.

"Claire," Father Mulcahy repeats as he wonders...well basically he wonders what she is and how she came to be here. One overriding feeling he has is that he needs to help her if she'll let him.

* * *

**The present...**

That is how it started. He never made Claire stay but she never really left either. She would keep coming back round to the church, he would make sure she was fed. Eventually, over time, a bond of trust grew. He taught her to read and write and she...well funnily enough after the day he met her he was never shot at again. Father Mulcahy never asked but he assumed Claire scared the gangs off. Claire would help out around the church while proclaiming, in her coarse way, how she never believed in God and this was nonsense...yet she stayed and hanged around until that day she disappeared and now she was here and he could find out what happened.

After the service is over Father Mulcahy says farewell to his parishioners before walking over to where Claire and her family remain sitting. He sits down in the pew in front of them. "You know it's ironic," he says, looking at the teenage girl.

"What?" Claire asks him.

"For someone who says they don't believe in God..."

"I don't!" Claire insists.

"Yet you sat right there..." He points at where she is sitting, "every Sunday, without fail."

"I was just...watching out for you," Claire says sullenly, almost as if she is embarrassed.

"I'm sure God is appreciative of that," Father Mulcahy teases.

Claire makes a face. "Screw you."

"Claire," Martha snaps at her disrespect.

"No. It's alright," Father Mulcahy says before an argument breaks out. "I'm use to her language. She's said a lot worse than that to me," he says humorously.

"That's true," Claire confirms cheerily.

"So...you're a mutant. At least we have a word for you now."

"Better than freak of nature I suppose," Claire jokes flatly.

"What happened to you, Claire?" Father Mulcahy asks the basic question.

"Oh you got a year...or three," she jokes.

"I have as much time as you wish."

Where to start? That was the question.

* * *

**18 months ago...**

Claire's orange eyes very slowly open as she tries to gain an awareness of her surroundings. She is lying on something...no in something.

Claire shoots up and starts to feel around her. It's glass. She's in a glass sphere and her clothes are gone. She's been stripped down to only a few scraps of some kind of stretchy material that barely covers her dignity and over her face is a mask...like an oxygen mask. She reaches to remove it.

"I would advise against that," a voice stops her.

Claire spins round and looks for its source. Her eyes fall upon a man in a suit with a thick beard. "Lionel Luthor," she speaks his name.

"Ah, you recognise me, good," Lionel says as he walks toward her.

Claire looks around her. She's in some sort of lab. "Where the fuck am I?"

"Somewhere where the secrets of your powers will be discovered."

"Not fucking likely!" Claire insists and tries to power up but nothing. She tries again. Nothing.

Lionel grins lopsidedly as he guesses what she is trying. "Don't bother. That sphere you're in is full of argon...which to educate you is a non-reactive gas that you cannot burn. There is no oxygen except what comes through your mask and you need that to breathe. Hence why I advise you don't remove it. You'll pass out within 2 minutes."

"You'll forgive me if I don't believe you motherfucker!"

Lionel looks, if anything, amused as Claire rips her mask off. The oxygen supply automatically cuts off the moment her mask is removed and she finds he was telling the truth. Lionel turns as she vainly bangs on the glass. He looks to his chief scientist. "Make sure she has passed out before reconnecting her oxygen supply. If she is smart she won't try that again."

"Yes, Mr Luthor," the man says in reply.

Lionel turns back round as the girl slowly weakens due to lack of oxygen. He has studied a lot about the mutations the meteors have induced but one can never have enough data...especially when one is dying of an unknown liver disease. Discovering the secrets behind the mutations could be the key to finding him a cure. This girl...there had been stories for years about her within Suicide Slums. Lionel needs to pursue every lead he can if he is to survive which is why he sent his men for her.

Lionel waits and watches until she passes out. A few scientists run forward and a hatch in the sphere pops open. They put the mask back on her face and reseal it and more argon is pumped in. Well he has business to attend to. "Let me know when you have finished your genetic analysis, Dr Essex," he says to his chief scientist.

The unusually pale man nods. "Of course, Mr Luthor," he assures his employer.

Lionel leaves and Dr Essex walks up to the sphere and places his hand on it. A 'Sinister' smile comes to his face and his eyes flash briefly red. "I wonder what little secrets you have for me, my dear," he says eager to start his study of her.

* * *

**The Present...**

Claire shivers at the memory. What followed after her capture were lots of needles being stuck into her, almost daily, as they tried to figure out what made her tick. It went on for weeks. What kept her going is ironically what kept her going on the streets. You don't plan for the future. You simply plan to survive until tomorrow. That was her approach when she woke up every day. Just survive until tomorrow.

"Claire...I'm sorry," Father Mulcahy expresses his sympathies for her.

"It's not your fault," Claire tells him. She may be as angry at hell for ending up in that lab but he is not to blame.

Martha was feeling terrible and angry. She feels terrible that Claire suffered. To think her daughter went through that. She feels angry at the man responsible. Lionel Luthor has so much to answer for.

"So how have things been around here?" Claire asks, in a sudden change of subject.

"Oh pretty much as you remember," Father Mulcahy says with sad resignation about that.

"Still a hell-hole, huh?"

"I believe I mentioned I don't like the use of that H word."

Claire grins. "Hell, hell, hell, hell, helly, helly, helly," she says over and over again, being deliberately annoying.

Father Mulcahy gives her a stern, penetrating gaze. "Still think we're funny I see."

"I am funny," Claire defends herself. "Clark on the other has a total shitty sense of humour," she says with her shit eating grin.

"So we'll be leaving her with you while we run as far away as possible," Clark says to Father Mulcahy in response.

"And I think my point is proved."

"That wasn't a joke. I'm being perfectly serious," Clark insists.

"You know it's not too late for me to disown you," Claire warns him.

"You've said that before. Personally I think I'll be better off."

Claire scowls at her brother.

Father Mulcahy bursts out in a fit of laughter.

"Who has the shitty sense of humour?" Clark asks her, pointing at Father Mulcahy as proof he is funny.

"Oh don't use him as judge. Trust me I knew him for 10 years. He wouldn't know what a real joke was if it bit him on the..."

"Claire," Martha intervenes, her voice gentle, hoping to assuage the curse word that comes next.

"Behind. I was going to say behind," Claire insists, her face as innocent as can be.

"Only the truly gullible would believe that," Clark snarks.

"Then you must believe it. You are one of those 'there's one born every minute' sort of person," Claire snarks back.

"I can disown you, too," Clark retaliates.

"Now why would you want to do that?" Claire asks him as if she can't think of a single reason.

"You want the list? It would only take 3...4 hours to go through."

"That won't be necessary," Father Mulcahy intervenes. Now that was truly remarkable to witness. It was almost like looking at an entirely different girl from the angry, closed off one he remembers. "So I know there must be much more of your story to tell but what made you decide to come seek me out now?" he wonders.

Claire's face falls and her gaze drifts to the floor, her feet suddenly becoming very interesting to her. Martha puts an arm around her.

"That's a difficult subject," Jonathan tries to address it sensitively. "Some...things happened and part of her really didn't want to come. She's afraid of what you'll think of her."

"What do you mean?" Father Mulcahy asks.

"I'm a murderer," Claire mumbles, shame pouring off her.

Martha squeezes Claire close to her. "Shh, that's not true," she says softly.

"I think it better if you tell me everything," Father Mulcahy requests, reserving judgement.

* * *

Elsewhere in Suicide Slums a figure dressed as black as the night moves swiftly and unseen from rooftop to rooftop. She has a mission. A determined goal. She would find the ones responsible for taking away that that was most precious to her.

They had to be here somewhere. This part of Suicide Slums was their territory. She would find this gang and they would tell her everything she needed to know so she could complete her mission.

That is why she received her gift. She was plucked from death's door and returned to Earth and she knows the reason why.

She would bring retribution.

She would bring justice...or at least the justice they deserved.

An angel saved her life and in return she too would become an angel.

The Angel of Vengeance.

* * *

Clark steps outside the church and sits down on the steps next to his sister. She was wiping tears off her face. She had run out after telling her story, not waiting to see Father Mulcahy's reaction. It had been difficult for her to tell her story. She had broken down a few times. It filled in a few gaps in her story. How after probably a few months in that lab Stryker came and offered her the way out by joining his team. The MRD's Alpha Squad.

Seeing as how that was a better option than remaining in that lab being poked and prodded Claire accepted. She was trained until that day the Bayville Sirens appeared and Lionel wanted them captured so sent Claire's team after them . Clark remembers that day. Claire blew up a car on top of him.

After that Clark knows the rest of her staying at the mansion until the day the MRD came for them...and that is why she is crying. At least she is starting to deal with it instead of pretending she's fine and didn't care. It was progress.

Clark looks up. They had been here for several hours now. It had been difficult to get through Claire's story and the sun had set. Night had fallen.

"He's going to hate me," Claire whispers pathetically.

"No. He's not. He just needs a moment to absorb the information," Clark insists.

"Clark have you read the bible?"

"Yes."

"The 5th Commandment."

"Thou shall not kill," Clark rattles it off as it is in the Catholic tradition. In the Protestant tradition it is actually the 6th Commandment but it is a Catholic church they are sitting in front of.

"That's not even the only one I have broken but it is the worse," she says tearfully. Now she has started to let herself come to terms with it she is finding herself breaking down a lot.

Clark wraps his powerful arm around her shoulders. "I'm broken that one too," he says.

Claire looks at him in total shock. "W-what?"

Clark smiles pitifully. "Yep. It's true."

Claire thinks back. She remembers when he was at Frost's trying to talk her into returning to the Institute. He mentioned something about that. "You took an innocent life."

"Yes," Clark confirms, his voice laden his guilt. "You see Claire there should be 3 of us."

"3?"

"Kent siblings. Mom was pregnant once before last summer."

"W-what happened?"

"Let me give you some context. It's not an excuse on my part but I need to put it into the situation as it was. See my life was finally going good. I was looking forward to being a big brother. Had all these dreams about what it would be to have a little sibling. I had just gotten together with the girl I liked...the girl I had been wanting from afar for ages. All that stuff about being a Kryptonian, having some sort of great destiny...didn't want anything to do with it. I had the life I wanted. Then my ship...the one I came to Earth in, it started talking to me. That was the first time I met, so to speak, Jor-El."

"Your destiny," Claire guesses at what comes next.

"Yes. My destiny. The one he wouldn't tell me about at the time. He just said my time in Smallville was over and that it was time for my journey to begin. I told him to fuck off."

Claire lightly chuckles.

"Well I didn't use those exact words," Clark confesses. "But that was the gist of my feelings. Unfortunately Jor-El doesn't take no as an answer. In my head it came down to a choice. The life I wanted or whatever it was Jor-El desired. I chose the former so I resolved to be rid of my biological father."

"How?"

"By destroying my ship. He was a ghost. I pretty much guessed he was some sort of computer programme housed within the ship so get rid of it, get rid of him. I should have thought it through more."

"What do you mean?"

"I tried to poison the ship with kryptonite. If it was poison to me maybe it was poison to Kryptonian technology I thought. It actually worked. The ship went Kablooey...which by the way hurt...a lot."

"I'm not seeing where this is leading."

"Kablooey. It blew up creating a shockwave. Mom and dad were driving near enough by to be caught by it. The truck was tossed upside down. They lived but mom miscarried."

"Oh no," Claire says.

Clark slumps his shoulders as if some impossibly heavy weight has been placed on top of him as he recalls this. "So I guess it's ironic I confess my sins in front of a church. That is the innocent blood on my hands, Claire. I know how you feel because it is how I feel every day."

Claire should feel angry. Because of some monumentally stupid decision Clark made she has been robbed of another sibling...but how can she when her hands are stained too. That would make her a hypocritical bitch. She leaves that role to Rogue. "Why did you never tell me this before?"

"Because all this, what we're doing here, was not about me. All this is for you. I've learned how to live with my sins. This is about helping you learn how to live with yours."

"How do you live with it?" Claire asks, hoping in some way it can help her.

"Why did I choose to join the Institute?" Clark lays the question down. "Because I promised myself my actions would never cause the death of another innocent again. I thought to myself that what the Professor was offering was the best way I could learn how to accomplish this. Then my superhearing kicked in and I could hear all the suffering around me and I realised my inaction could result in the same loss of innocent life."

"Being Superman. That's how you live with it," Claire realises what it is that drives him to do that. She couldn't figure it out why he did it after he nearly died helping Rogue but now she is starting to get it.

"It can't make up for what I did. Nothing ever can but knowing I go out there and at least try my best makes it bearable. I just hope in some small way I'm doing justice to the Kent we'll never know."

"Does it get better?" Claire asks about the overwhelming guilt.

"I could lie and say it does but it really doesn't. What matters is what you do with the pain and hurt. You can turn it into something positive or you can turn it into something negative. I've seen both outcomes. I guess what makes the difference is the strength of person you are within.

"Kurt said the same thing...more or less."

"Then perhaps you should start listening to us," Clark asks of her. "If it means anything to you, you are doing way better with all this than I ever did."

"I don't think so," Claire says, with a shake of her head, rejecting that idea. "I ran away."

"Yep. So did I."

"What?"

"Mom, dad, they were...grieving, angry, hurt, the fact I was so stupid...they looked at me...for the first time in my whole life they looked at me like an alien. I can't describe how much that hurt. On top of the fact I was also grieving...I stood at the farm, at the bottom of the crater my ship had caused and looked around me at the destruction I had wrought and I thought...this is what you really are Clark. You're someone that destroys everything around you. I couldn't live with that idea. I couldn't live with the pain swirling around inside me so I decided to take it away."

"Did...did you try and kill yourself?" Claire asks at his talk of taking his pain away.

"No. Way too much of a coward for that. I dug up this class ring the school had made from red kryptonite, slipped it on so it could make the guilt and pain go away, got on my bike and drove for Metropolis and never looked back. You've met my other self. Imagine what I got up to for 3 months as him."

"How did it end? I mean you obviously went home."

"Yes. Well lets see I fell into doing a job for Morgan Edge..."

"Edge?!" Claire cries.

"Yeah. You know him?"

"This is Suicide Slums, Clark. Every scumbag in Metropolis has links here. It's where they recruit their mindless muscle. You know, work for me and I'll get you out of this hell-hole," Claire explains the pitch. "You worked for Edge? Were you nuts?"

"Yes. Red kryptonite. You think I'm bad after only being on it a few days you should have seen me after 3 months."

"Oh."

"I'll summarise what happened. Edge wanted me to steal something for him. I was halfway through it when dad showed up. He had come to take me home."

"Despite what you did?"

"Yes. If you want the reasons I suggest you talk to him," Clark says and encourages her to. Claire and his father could do with bonding more.

"Ok how did Jonathan even think he could take you home?" Claire asks. She knows how powerful Clark is.

"He did a deal with Jor-El. Jor-El gave my father the power, my powers, to take me home. I refused. We fought and wrecked some stuff but it was the key moment in discovering who I was deep inside."

"What do you mean?"

"For 3 months I had been, in many ways, stewing away deep under the red kryptonite haze, not grieving as I should have. When we were fighting dad said I didn't realise how dangerous I was...which is true. I retorted that it wasn't the ring. This was just who I was. I was a destroyer, a killer. Part of me felt like that after everything I did."

"Part of me feels like that," Claire whispers.

"I beat dad. Had him pinned up against the wall and he dared me to finish it. Said if he had raised a killer then I better just kill him because he couldn't live with that idea."

"You didn't," Claire states the obvious.

"No. I had my hand pulled back but I couldn't do it. I destroyed the ring instead. I wasn't a killer. I was...am still deeply sorry for what I did. When it was over I was finally able to grieve and start to come to terms with what I had done. The same applies to you. You're not a killer, Claire. You're angry and rude and blunt and so much stronger than I am."

"How can you say that?" Claire asks. She doesn't feel or believe she is that strong. Not really.

"I grew up on a farm. I'm not ashamed of that but I also realise I have led a somewhat idyllic life compared to a lot of people. You grew up on the streets in the worst part of Metropolis yet you chose to use that experience and make yourself a protector."

"Where did you get that idea?"

"There was this fascinating article I found online. It spoke of an area of Boston that had gained a fiery protector shortly after a certain someone left the Institute. Care to tell me who that was?"

"Look at my face and see how it says 'fuck no!'."

Clark smiles. There was that defiant spark.

Claire turns to look at her brother and manages a watery smile. What a pair they were...and they were a pair. They were both going through and feeling the same pain. It made it more bearable to carry the burden to know she wasn't alone in it.

"Soooo...every Sunday, huh?" Clark starts to tease her.

"Don't," Claire warns him.

"I never knew you were so religious."

"I'm not."

"Do you and Kurt sing psalms together when no-one is around?"

"I am so disowning you."

Clark gives her an almost painful squeeze with the arm he still has around her. "You know you love me," he proclaims.

"Screw you," Claire mumbles.

* * *

Round the back of the church Father Mulcahy was just dropping a bag into the garbage bin. It was giving him a few moments to collect his thoughts. While he was a priest he is not a judgemental man. He leaves judgements to an authority far greater than him.

"Father Mulcahy?"

He turns his head to see Martha has joined him. "Yes, Martha."

"Are you ok?" she asks him.

He smiles at her concern. "Of course," he assures her.

"I don't mean to be pushy...well actually I do," Martha corrects herself. "Claire's my daughter and...you see she never talked much about her past. She always use to say anyone who had ever seen her powers never wanted anything to do with her. You're the first person she has talked about fondly as someone she missed. You are obviously important to her even if she can't find the words to express that. Therefore what you think of her now matters a great deal to her."

Father Mulcahy can see Martha is a good mother. He's glad Claire has found her way to the woman in front of him. "I see death...a lot. It's inescapable in Suicide Slums but despite it all Claire never connected herself to it. If anything her instinct was to preserve life. She saved my life more than once. She got the gangs so afraid of her they wouldn't come within half a mile of this church."

Martha smiles with pride. This...this was why she came. To learn about her daughter.

"It was a shock to hear she had killed people," Father Mulcahy admits.

"It was a...difficult day," Martha says with a weary sigh just thinking on it. "We were attacked and hunted. I make no excuse...but I'm certain you've seen her temper."

"I have," Father Mulcahy confirms. He's seen it in all it's terrifying glory.

"I forgive her...not out of blind love but because I know she is a good person...a fact I'm pleased to say you have confirmed."

"I could quote something clichéd like God is Forgiveness but that's not necessary. Like I have said I have seen death. I have seen killers...the worst kind. The kind who do it and there is not even the slightest bit of regret in their eyes. They have lost all compassion and connection to their fellow man. Claire hasn't lost that and I think it is because her family did not turn their back on her."

"Except her father," Martha mutters snidely under her breath, unable to help herself.

Ok that's a sensitive subject, obviously. "I'm not disappointed in her. I'm disappointed in myself," Father Mulcahy says.

"Father...you didn't fail her," Martha assures him, making a guess at what he is disappointed about.

"In a way I did," he feels he has to accept some blame. "When I found her as a little girl I took on it upon myself to protect her. That I failed to do."

"Yet I believe a lot of who she is is due to you," Martha thinks since as far as she knows Father Mulcahy was the one who most guided Claire through her life. He was certainly the one who taught her to read and write and tried to educate her from what Martha knows.

"And yet I could never get her to stop her coarser language," he laments.

"Oh I know. Believe me I've tried," Martha slightly complains.

"I would advise you it is a losing battle."

"For you perhaps...but I'm her mother," Martha states confidently.

"I wish you all the best. I'm glad she found her way to you."

"Not as glad as I," Martha says, her voice severely understating what it means to her to have discovered her daughter. "So will you talk to her?"

"Of course," Father Mulcahy says. He doesn't think any less of her. It was just a shock.

Before they can go back inside there is a sort of cold laughter.

Father Mulcahy's face goes grimly serious as he turns to face a group of several young men. One of Suicide Slum's less pleasant gangs. Since Claire vanished they have worked up the nerve to start harassing him and his parishioners.

"Hello Father," the leader of the group says in menacing tones. "Who's your friend?" he asks as he eyes Martha up.

Martha doesn't show any fear but there is a knot of it in her gut as the group surround them.

"José," Father Mulcahy says the young Latino man's name.

Martha notices as he draws near a burn scar on the left side of his face. She wonders...

"What is it you want?" Father Mulcahy asks, on edge.

"What?" José asks innocently. "I can't just be here for the redemption of my soul?"

"My service was this morning."

"Was it? Oops," José falsely says.

"Oops is going to be the least of your problems!" an angry sounding voice declares.

Everyone looks up as a figure dressed in black seems to fall out of he sky. It is a woman...young woman wearing some kind of black mask over the upper part of her face with a black scarf tied on top of her head. She is wearing a long black coat with a red lining, fingerless black gloves and around her wrists studded leather bracelets. A red top, black leather pants and long black buckled-up boots complete the ensemble.

The woman lands on her feet in a crouch and then strikes out at the nearest gang member and he literally goes flying dozens of feet and crashes through a wooden fence.

Out front of the church that sudden noise grabs Clark's attention. His head snaps round and spots the trouble.

"What?" Claire asks him.

"Mom!" Clark cries out agitated and blurs off.

Claire shoots to her feet, powers up and flies up high to try and spot what is going on. She spots the fight round the back and flies over in that direction.

Clark appears like a ghost. Luckily everyone is too focussed in on the fight to notice...although fight is hardly the correct term.

Even as outnumbered as she is the woman is systematically taking the gang apart with ease. Clark recognises superstrength combined with at least enhanced speed, reactions and reflexes when he sees it...and she is not playing around with as she roughly beats the crap out of them.

"She's real," Father Mulcahy says in wonder under his breath at what he is witnessing.

The woman finishes off the last subordinate and stalks in on José who draws a knife. He tries to stab her and Clark can see she lets him. The blade shatters on impact. The woman then grabs José by the throat and lifts him up. "Where is he?!" she demands to know, her voice shaking with anger and fury. "Where's that little shitfaced leader of yours?! Where's Snake?!"

Claire lands next to Clark with a puzzled look on her face. She is as confused about who this woman is as everyone else.

José spits in her face. "Go fuck yourself, bitch!"

The woman sneers and draws her fist back and Clark can just see it in her eyes. She isn't going to hold back with her punch. She'll put her fist through the guy's head. He's close enough so he doesn't have to blur and rushes forward and grabs her wrist. "That's enough," he says sternly.

The woman snaps her head round and locks eyes with him. In her boots she's still a few inches shorter than Clark is. They stand there for several moments just gazing into each other's eyes trying to read them. The woman drops José.

For a moment Clark thinks he's stopped her...until she slams her open palm into his chest, sending him literally flying through the Church wall.

"Clark!" Martha cries out, out of motherly instinct despite knowing he is invulnerable.

The woman glares at all of them. She thinks about finishing this...but the look of fear in the older woman's eyes touches something within her. Not here. Not in front of her at least. "Stay out of my way, for all your sakes," she warns them before she literally leaps into the air and lands on a nearby rooftop and vanishes from view.

Claire rushes over to her mother. "Are you alright?"

Martha nods.

There is a groan from José.

Claire marches up to where he is on the ground and grabs him by the shirt with her left hand as flame surrounds her right hand. "Wake up José!" she shouts at him, showing how she knows who he is.

José's eyes flutter open. "Selton," he hisses as he recognises her.

"You really don't learn your lesson do you," Claire tells him, her voice gravely serious. "Now how about you tell me what the fuck is going on before I give you a scar to match the one I gave you before."

Her daughter did that! Martha is...well actually maybe she isn't so surprised as she probably should be.

"How about you burn in hell, mutie bitch!" José retorts.

Claire smirks dangerously. Her burning hand lowers to hover above his groin. "Want to repeat that?" she dares him.

José reluctantly has to concede. "I don't know what it's about. It started several weeks ago. That freak in the black and red would show up and demand to know where Snake was. She's been making our lives miserable."

"Aw, poor baby," Claire mocks. "Would you like me to rub it better with my fiery hot hand?" she asks him.

"You should have stayed lost Selton," José tells her his true feelings on her.

"And miss out on this goodie time reunion?!" she mocks gasps. "Where is Snake?" she asks. She remembers that asshole.

"Don't know. He moved out. Edge's death left a vacuum so he managed to move himself up a rung. Haven't seen him in months."

"Good to see he cares so much about you he left you to rot in this shithole," Claire makes fun at José's expense.

"Do us both a favour Selton, drop dead!"

"You first!" Claire says in a deadly whisper. Her attention is caught by Clark and Jonathan emerging from the hole Clark's body made. She gets off of José. "Not today, though. Git going," she tells him.

José gets up and sneers at her.

Claire smirks at him. "Just remember I've been kicking your ass since I was 7 and since I've been away I've gotten training in how to kick it in 15 different ways. Don't let me being seeing you around here again," she warns him.

José gives her a glare before he and the rest of them, some barely standing, depart.

Claire only lets her fire die out once they're out of sight. "Dickhead," she mutters under her breath one last insult aimed at José. She turns to Clark who is holding his chest, putting on a good performance like he is hurt.

"She's real," Martha says. "You said that," she says to Father Mulcahy. "What did you mean?"

"I thought it a rumour. Like José said, this woman, with incredible strength, started showing up, roughing up the gangs, looking for Snake."

"Who's Snake?" Clark asks.

Claire makes a face. "He was one of the bigger gang leaders around here. He got his name due to this snake tattoo he has on his right cheek. If my old punching bag José was telling the truth it seems he might be trying to work his way up Metropolis' criminal ladder...like that's an accomplishment," Claire mocks the idea.

"She has saved a lot of people," Father Mulcahy defends this woman. Now he's seen her he guesses all the stories he's heard about her actions are true. "People around here started calling her their Guardian Angel. Some others call her the Angel of Vengeance."

"Volcana's better," Claire mutters to herself about how she earned a better sounding name.

Martha can't help but smile at her daughter's grumpy expression.

Jonathan makes a more practical tone here. "Do you have wood and we'll patch up this hole," he offers.

"I have some spare lying around," Father Mulcahy says. "Follow me," he says and he and Jonathan leave.

"You alright, Clark?" Martha asks him.

Clark nods.

"Of course he is," Claire states the obvious. "You can quit the act," she tells him.

"It's only just an act believe me," he says seriously as he gives his chest a rub.

"Honey?" Martha queries at the meaning of her son's words.

"I felt that punch."

Martha's eyebrows rise. It takes some punch to make Clark feel it.

"What's with the look?" Claire asks, pointing at his gravely serious expression.

"If I had been a normal person she would have caved my chest in," Clark explains his grave look.

"You're not normal."

"She didn't know that. Nor do I think she cared. Did you see the way she fought? She wasn't holding back. She could have killed them all."

"She didn't," Claire argues.

"I think that was more luck than judgement. Claire...you don't understand what it means to be superstrong. You can turn your powers on and off. When you're superstrong you must be in absolute control every second of every day. You can't afford to be careless."

"It did seem...personal to her," Martha had observed of the woman. "Very personal."

"Like this Snake hurt someone she cared about?" Clark puts forward the conjecture.

"That's probable," Claire points out. "Snake is the sort of scum who gave up giving a damn about who he hurt a long time ago. It means it is also a very long list of people who have it in for him. Hell I have it in for the piece of shit he is."

"Hmm," Clark makes the noise as he thinks hard.

"Oh god," Claire complains.

"What?"

"You've got that look on your face."

"What look?"

"That look that says you're about to pull your frickin boyscout routine and go and save this woman from herself or some other such crap."

Clark looks to his mother. "We might be staying an extra day or two," he tells her.

Claire groans. She just knew he would do this.

Martha smiles at him and pats him on the shoulder. She is always so proud of him. She can see, though, he's right. This woman is far too powerful and far too angry to be just left to her own devices. She is going to kill someone unless stopped.

Clark pulls out his phone and dials. It is picked up. "Hey Chlo! It's Clark. Look I know it's nearing Christmas but I need a favour. Tell me everything you know about a woman in black."

* * *

_Author's Note: It occurred to me that Claire needed at least one figure in her life who didn't shun her and attempted to guide her, hence the Father Mulcahy character. Now I know someone, somewhere will point out this is far too early to bring in the Angel of Vengeance but I can justify it and will. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; in the hunt for the Angel Clark gets help from a bumbling, mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet...wait. What?!_


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"The Clark Kent express is handy," Chloe remarks as Clark deposits her down in front of the church in Suicide Slums after he picked her up from Smallville. He can cover the distance in approximately 5 minutes these days.

Clark shakes his head in amusement. Only Chloe would think his superspeed is a useful aid to getting around.

"Hi Chloe," Claire says. She had been waiting for them to return.

"Hi Claire," Chloe says back. "So you saw the Angel of Vengeance, huh?" she queries with that reporter excitement of hers.

"What do you know?" Clark asks her.

"Not much. Just this mystery vigilante that started appearing in Suicide Slums. Metropolis is really out of my jurisdiction these days," Chloe remarks and you can hear a sort of sadness in her tone.

"I thought you were going to reapply for an internship at the Planet," Clark mentions.

"Right. After I quit last time I'm sure they'll love to have me back," Chloe says sarcastically...and regretfully. You can hear her remorse at losing her dream job but she had to quit. She only got the job because of her deal with Lionel. It was a principle thing that she had to quit.

"Talent is talent, Chlo. Only a moron would miss how much talent you have."

Chloe manages a small smile.

"Do you have any idea how to find this...Angel?" Claire gets back on the subject.

"I have a friend who works in the basement at the Planet. She's an itern. I can ask her to collect all the reports they have and scrounge up the police reports too and we can just see if there is anything amongst it all. A pattern...somewhere to begin at least," Chloe suggests.

Clark checks the time. "Too late or..."

Chloe checks her watch too. "Uh...no. She's a workaholic like me. She should still be there. I'll give her a call."

"Thanks Chlo," Clark says gratefully.

"No problem," Chloe assures him as she dials her friend at the planet. "Hey Andrea. It's Chloe. I need a favour..."

* * *

**The Daily Planet...**

"Military school?" Clark queries with a bemused expression as he and Chloe walk down the stairs into the basement of the world famous Daily Planet building. She was telling him about what happened when General Lane finally showed up to deal with Lucy.

Chloe chuckles. "Yeah. Uncle Sam feels she needs discipline."

Clark chuckles too at that massive understatement. "So is she going?"

"I don't think Uncle Sam was giving her a choice. Bottom line is she left with him and he's dealing with it now," Chloe summarises the situation.

The two teens walk down into the midst of all the desks and booths of where people begin their journalistic careers. Claire was back at the church with his parents for the minute. Hopefully she'll talk with Father Mulcahy. It is why they originally came here. As for Clark, dealing with this Angel of Vengeance is something he needs to do. She...partially reminds him of himself when he was out of control. He knows better than most how dangerous a path it is...especially when you're as powerful as he is and as she obviously is.

Chloe stops, closes her eyes and inhales. God it has been too long since she was last here.

"Need a minute?" Clark queries with an amused expression as Chloe loses herself in the ambiance.

"Two if you could," Chloe requests.

Clark smiles at her. He'll give her her two minutes. He wanders around the empty basement. He wonders if one day he'll be at some place like this. It's doubtful he'll ever work at the Planet itself now he lives in Bayville.

Clark isn't really paying attention to where he is going and bumps into someone.

"Oh!" a voice exclaims as papers drop to the floor.

"Sorry," Clark says as he bends down to help the woman, as it turns out, who is already bent down picking them up.

"N-no," she stammers slightly. "It was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going," she apologises.

Clark looks up just as she does and stares into a face of a 20 year old woman with an olive complexion. She has her long black hair tied back in a pony-tail. Small glasses sit on her nose. She is dressed in a cream coloured top and knee length black pencil dress. Clark blinks. She was cute...in a geeky sorta way.

The woman blinks back and smiles nervously with a hint of shyness.

"Andrea!" Chloe calls out.

The woman stands up. "H-hey Chloe."

Clark stands up straight too. This was Chloe's friend?

Chloe walks over and does the introductions. "Clark this is Andrea Rojas. Andrea this is my friend, Clark Kent."

Andrea swaps the papers in her hands from one to the other, pushes her glasses up her nose and offers her hand. "V-very nice to meet you," she says with a nervous stammer.

Clark copies her action exactly pushing his glasses up his nose before taking the hand. "Yes. You too," he says, a soft smile on his lips.

Chloe silently laughs at the two of them mimicking each other. Good grief. "So Andrea is that what I asked about?" Chloe asks pointing at the now messed up pile of papers in her friend's hands.

"Oh yes. Yes! Sorry, my mind must be already away with the Christmas spirit," Andrea babbles nervously.

She has got to stop apologising for everything Chloe thinks to herself. Andrea was worse than Clark in that regard. Chloe takes the papers.

"Uh...please use my desk," Andrea offers. "I...um...I have to go do a quick errand."

"That's fine, Andrea. Thank you," Chloe says.

"Yes. Thank you," Clark thanks her as well.

"N-no problem. I hope it's helpful. Excuse me," she says as she leaves.

Clark watches her go briefly. She walks with her shoulders slumped...kinda like the way he himself walks around. "So that's your friend?"

"Yeah. She's a good writer. She just lacks...fire in her belly," Chloe only slightly criticises.

Clark looks at Chloe. "Yeah. I can just see how that's a problem," he drawls, implying something critical about Chloe about having that fire. "It's not like that fire ever gets a certain someone into trouble."

"Oh go jump off a bridge," Chloe tells him sourly.

"I'll pass," he drawls.

"No seriously. She's a nice enough person. If she would just stop slumping her shoulders a bit and find some confidence she could certainly work her way out of here and upward."

"How did you meet her?"

"I was doing some research into a story about organ transplants. They had been unwittingly using organs from meteor mutants. The rock tends to concentrate in the vital organs. It had caused rejection in at least half a dozen cases killing the patients involved."

"Is she...?"

"Yes. She had her heart transplanted. She's one of the lucky ones...at least so far. Could kill her tomorrow. There's no way to know."

And that's how Chloe met her. She tracked Andrea down for her story.

Clark feels sympathy for her. Must be terrible to not know if you'll live to see tomorrow.

"So shall we get back to our Dark Angel?"

Clark looks at Chloe sceptically.

"What? It's an apt description," Chloe defends her use of that tv show title and comparison.

Clark shakes his head. "We have to find her," he determines as he starts to look through the reports.

"And we will, Clark," Chloe assures him. "And maybe I can finally get that page 1 story!" she enthuses.

Clark arches an eyebrow.

"A girl can dream can't she," Chloe defends herself, pouting slightly.

Just outside the basement door, pressed up against the wall Andrea overhears everything. She had had to listen and learn what those two were up to. Now that she does she can only think of one response.

_'Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn,'_ Andrea curses over and over in her head. She had had no idea that boy in the glasses from earlier outside the church was Chloe's friend. Andrea knows Chloe well enough to know she's like a bloodhound. She won't quit.

Andrea can't afford a page 1 story about her alter ego. She needs some way to get Chloe to back off. She also knows Chloe well enough to know threatening her directly won't work. Maybe if she threatens Chloe's boy friend there.

Andrea bites her lower lip. It's not like she wants to hurt him. Just scare Chloe off the story.

Andrea lets out a soft sigh. It's a pity really. He's kind of cute...in a sorta geeky way.

_'Focus on the mission, Andrea,' _she mentally tells herself. Nothing is more important than her mission.

Resolve reinforced Andrea slips quietly away so she can shed her mild-mannered shell and bring her darker side out to play.

* * *

**Suicide Slums...**

Claire was back in the church helping sweep up after the wall had been repaired. Her mood was sullen.

"Claire," a soft spoken voice catches her attention.

"Jonathan," Claire acknowledges him.

"You ok?" he asks her.

"I'm fine," she assures him. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly."

"Why did you go through so much to get Clark back after what he did with his ship?"

Jonathan's face saddens instantly at the memory. "Clark told you about that."

"Yeah. Why though? He said you were angry at him. I mean after what he did..."

Jonathan takes several moments to compose his thoughts. "I was angry at him," he confirms that Clark was right about that. "He was stupid and unbelievably selfish. I really thought I had raised him better than to make such rash decisions without thinking through the consequences."

"He said you looked at him...like an alien."

"Not in the way he might have been thinking. At that precise moment I was trying to deal with I had lost my child...something he was responsible for. I don't know if you can really imagine it but talking with him was not something I really wanted to do. Being in the same room as him at that moment was difficult."

"So again I have to ask why?"

"Because he is my son and nothing will ever change that. When Martha and I learned he had ran off it was virtually as painful as losing the baby. We had already lost one child and we were not going to lose 2...not while I was still breathing. The problem is I didn't where to start looking. It was Chloe that found him. The next question became how to get him back."

"Clark mentioned you made a deal with Jor-El."

"It was an amazing experience, in its way, to have Clark's powers. For the 1st time since we found him I understood the temptations he must face and that he resists every day. Part of me would like to take the credit for raising him that way."

"I'm sure that's true," Claire asserts.

"I'm not that prideful."

"Did you forgive him?" Claire wonders.

"Yes. I did. Wasn't easy if you want the truth but forgiveness never is. However it is also liberating. Once you forgive you free yourself of the burdens of anger and hate. It lightens the load."

Claire's face is one of deep thought.

Jonathan feels he knows why Claire is asking about this in relation to her. "Claire...what you did was an accident. It was a burst of temper."

"I keep telling myself that but it never makes it any easier."

"Don't take this the wrong way but it shouldn't be easy if you're a good person...which you are," Jonathan asserts confidently his belief in Claire's nature. "However long it takes, Claire, for you to come to terms with this, know that I and your mother are here to support you."

Claire smiles through watery eyes. "Thank you. It is just..."

"Just?"

"My anger. It's still there. Lionel and Stryker and that creepy pale faced doctor at the lab...I hate them...a lot."

Jonathan can see how this will take a long time. "As I said forgiveness is not easy...but worthwhile."

"You'll be waiting a long time for me to forgive them."

"I can wait," Jonathan assures her that he'll be around for her however long this takes.

"Have you talked to Father Mulcahy?" Claire asks.

Jonathan smiles knowingly about why she is asking him that. "You have to stop avoiding him," he advises.

"Avoid him? Who's avoiding him?" Claire asks as if she has no clue what Jonathan is on about.

Jonathan just gives her a look.

"Can I have a little more time?" she requests for herself to work up the nerve.

"Certainly. Until your brother finds this Angel person we're not going anywhere."

Oh yes, her. She makes Claire feel...like she let people down. This Angel is doing what she use to. Beat up the gangs and protect people. In that way Claire admires her she guesses. Hopefully if Clark finds her they can have a chat. Claire feels like she wants to meet her.

* * *

**The Daily Planet...**

So far the research was going nowhere. Clark and Chloe were really no closer to finding the Angel of Vengeance than when they started. There wasn't much of a pattern to even give them a hint where to start looking. Just lots of reports...rumours really of her actions. Saving people, yes but what bothered Clark were the reports of how severely she was beating up people. It's a miracle she hasn't killed someone yet.

"This is hopeless," Clark says...and he's the optimistic one.

"I have to agree," Chloe is starting to see. "Although it would have been handier if you had remembered to x-ray through her mask and then we would know what she looked like," she complains at him.

"I was caught up in the moment, Chlo," Clark defends himself. "I was trying to stop her killing someone, alright." Course that's not 100% true Clark must confess. It is in that he was trying to stop her killing but when they locked eyes he must confess to losing himself in her pretty brown eyes for a moment. Just don't ask him to explain it.

"I know you were, Clark." Chloe sighs as she stretches out her muscles.

"What did you tell Lois about why you were leaving?" Clark wonders to what Chloe said to her cousin as an explanation.

"Wasn't that hard really. Lois is still on her righteous quest to discover the truth behind the ship." In other words Lois was off investigating.

Clark lets out a sigh. He was hating that Lois had to see all that death his two fellow Kryptonians caused.

"I'm just waiting for the phone call for me to come bail her out...again," Chloe says with a frown.

"Again?"

"Long story," Chloe waves him off from asking about it.

Clark stands up to loosen his joints up a little. Even for him sitting in one place for too long gets irritating. He then stiffens as his hearing picks up...

A powerful arm wraps around his throat. An arm glad in a black leather coat.

Chloe gasps out of natural reaction. It's the Angel of Vengeance.

"Listen up," the Angel demands of Chloe. "I heard you were asking around about me."

"How did...?" Chloe starts to ask.

"You'd be surprised what I pick up," the Angel explains it off. "Something tells me a front-page story could be a little bad for my health...or more likely your friend's here," she threatens Clark as she tightens her hold around his neck. Huh, this guy is surprisingly built. She can feel the solid muscle.

Clark can feel her...or more accurately her curves pressed up right against his back. Feels kinda nice...uh focus Clark, he tells himself. "Threatening me isn't the act of a hero," Clark argues with her.

"I have no wish to mess up your pretty face, handsome but I will if your girl friend there doesn't let it go. Comprende?" she asks, while looking directly at Chloe, indicating who she is speaking to.

Chloe nods.

"Good girl," the Angel praises her. "And just to show you I do mean what I say..."

She picks Clark up and throws him across the room, through a desk which shatters. She leaps impossibly far for a normal human being and lands on another desk in a crouch, one knee resting on the desk. "Next time," she addresses Clark. "Stay out of my way. I am one of the good guys," she claims before leaping out of the basement and leaps all the way up the stairwell to the ground floor and vanishes.

Chloe rushes over to Clark as he picks himself up and brushes the shattered wood off himself. "I guess that's 2-nil to the x-chromosone," she quips with a smirk.

Clark gives her a glare. "I was maintaining my secret identity," he defends himself for his inaction.

"So was she."

"You're defending her?" Clark is unable to believe that.

"Clark...she has saved a lot of people. You've read the reports."

"Yeah. It lists all the people she has put in the hospital because she won't restrain herself. It's a miracle she hasn't killed anyone."

"Ok I'll concede she seems to have issues...although that outfit is pretty cool," Chloe gives it praise.

"Black is so last year," Clark critiques.

"Didn't you use to wear black?"

"I moved on."

"Did you remember to x-ray her this time?"

"She threw me through a desk!"

"That's a no then," Chloe interprets it to be. "Seriously you're slipping. Is it the tight leather pants distracting you?"

"Stop sounding like Lois," he grouses.

"I didn't hear a no."

"Focus Chlo," Clark asks of her. "We need to find her."

"How?" Chloe asks the simple question.

"We may not be able to find her but we've managed to get her to come to us once. So lets do it again," Clark suggests.

Chloe knows that look on his face. Clark has a plan brewing. "What's the plan Lacey?"

"Why am I always Lacey?"

"Well you're definitely not Cagney."

Clark rolls his eyes. "How's your acting skills?"

"Mediocre, why?"

Clark grins. "Chlo. You ever wanted to play the damsel in distress?"

Chloe looks at him puzzled.

"W-what happened here?" a soft spoken voice asks.

Chloe and Clark look as Andrea returns from her 'errand'. They look at each other and try and think up a plausible story.

* * *

**Suicide Slums, the next night...**

Executing Clark's plan meant waiting until the following night. Father Mulcahy had been kind enough to put them up in the meantime...and Claire was still avoiding him. Oy vey.

When she learned of Clark's plan, however, she volunteered to help citing how Suicide Slums is where she grew up and that she knew the most likely places to go and try and get the Angel's attention.

Clark's plan being he pretends to mug Chloe while she screams to the heavens for help. It's not a complicated plan but no hero can turn down helping out someone in trouble. Trust Clark, he knows.

Clark and Chloe are at the church preparing to leave. Claire strides in and Clark and Chloe stop and stare. She is dressed in a red vest top and pants with orange boots that match her hair. On top she is wearing the new coat Marie gave her. "What?" Claire asks at the looks she is getting.

"New outfit?" Clark queries lightly.

"Hey! Ms 'so not good as me at this' isn't the only one who can have a costume," Claire points out, sounding almost jealous she has been usurped.

"Ok," Clark says just going along with it.

Claire hands him over some clothes. "Here. I borrowed these from the church collection. You need to look the part," she explains what they are.

Clark examines them. Dark clothing, leather jacket included. He supposes he can't pull this off in his Superman costume. "Here," he says back as he hands her a small metallic disc.

"A communicator?" Claire queries.

"I always need one in case of emergency since the Professor can't use his telepathy with me...and I may have brought a few just in case."

"Boyscout," Chloe remarks, laughing softly.

Claire takes it and sticks it in her ear.

Clark turns into a spinning blur of motion and reappears dressed for the part of mugger for the evening. "So shall we?" he asks if they're ready.

"Lets do this," Claire says with determination.

* * *

"No! No! Please, help! No, no!" a young blond woman calls out in panic as a mugger looms over her.

"Give me your purse!" the mugger demands menacingly,

"No! No! Please, help! No, no! Help! No! Help me! Help me! All right, you know what? We've taken this show on the road all over town, and this obviously isn't working," Chloe concludes. They've been all over Suicide Slums doing this act and nothing.

Clark sighs. He activates his communicator. "Volcana. You see anything?" he asks of her.

High above the ground Volcana hovers, looking down through a pair of binoculars(borrowed from Chloe because what reporter worth her salt doesn't carry a pair on her) at the surrounding area. "Nope. I see jackshit," she reports.

Clark contemplates calling it quits.

"No wait," Volcana says. "I've got her. She's coming your way. Put on the act!" she says urgently.

Chloe puts on her best performance yet pretending to try and get away as Clark chases her. "No! Stop! Please don't! Sto-o-o-p!"

Clark picks up the thud behind him as someone lands heavily.

"You know you people don't learn..." she trails off as she sees Chloe. "You. I thought I warned you!" she snaps, realising this is a set-up.

"We're not here to fight," Clark tells her as he turns round to face her. "We just want to talk."

The Angel looks him over. He seems familiar yet he's not. It's weird. "There's one problem there," she says in response.

"What?"

"I ain't wearing my dancing shoes."

"Why do they always want to do it the hard way," Clark grumbles.

The Angel swings at him with her right and he leans back to avoid the blow. She throws her left and Clark catches it with ease before twisting it behind her back.

The Angel cries out in pain. That hurts! How strong was this meathead? She slams her head back into his nose.

The blow is hard enough to make even Clark stagger slightly and release her. Her head is ringing like bells of St Mary.

Clark shakes it off as they circle each other. "We don't have to do this," he pleads with her.

"Sure we do," she insists. "You were practically begging for it when you set this up."

She attacks him and Clark and she exchange blocks and counters. She has at least basic training from somewhere.

"So I would compliment you on the outfit except black is out of fashion. The red top's nice. You ever thought of adding more colour...like say blue?" Clark asks her as he tries to find a way to end this without hurting her too much. He really does only wants to talk to her.

"Can't say I have," she says through a grunt as she aims a swinging kick at him which he ducks under. She tries to follow it up with a kick to his gut but he catches her foot, twists it and makes her spin and land on the ground face first.

Clark bends down, an annoyingly goofy smile on his face. "The Buffyverse called. Spike would like his coat back."

The Angel audibly growls in rage.

"I'm sensing anger. You know you should tell a few jokes. It's most cathartic."

She growls louder as she leaps to her feet. "What are you? My therapist?"

"Oh heck no. An hour with me would send any therapist to the loony bin. I have daddy issues. It's sad, I confess."

Clark's babbling does what it is meant to and makes her temper snap and she charges at him crudely. He simply taps into his speed, sidesteps her, pushes her in the back with one hand while the other grabs the mask off her face.

The Angel slams into a shop front. She turns round and Clark and Chloe's eyes widen when they see her face.

"Andrea?" Chloe whispers in shock.

Clark is genuinely surprised. Chloe is right. He must be slipping. He was in her presence and never connected them.

Andrea's hands go to her face before she spots her mask in the man's hand. Her face grows grimly determined. She pushes off and lands a kick in the middle of Clark's chest sending him flying into an electrical transformer causing it to spark and explode.

She then leaps off onto the side of a building before pushing off and landing on a roof. She turns round to leave only to come face to face with her opponent. Her mouth drops agape. What the...?

"Ready to talk now?" Clark asks her.

Andrea backs up. She had never met anyone this strong or fast...or however it was he got here.

"I wouldn't bother. You can't outrun him," another voice advises.

Andrea turns as a girl whose hair is literally on fire lands behind her. She blinks. "Claire?"

Claire peers closer. "Andrea?"

Clark looks at the pair with a puzzled expression. "You two know each other?"

"At church," they answer simultaneously.

"Any chance _now_ we can just sit down and talk about this?" Clark asks with a hopeful expression.

* * *

_Author's Note: __Andrea as the bumbling, mild-mannered reporter on the show was, as it appears to be, the in-joke on Clark's future. __Chloe and Clark faking a mugging, probably close to the best scene ever in Smallville. __Hopefully I don't overplay it but it's fun just to have someone toss Clark around a little...and yes Chlo, the tight leather pants probably are distracting him. They would distract me. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; We learn how Andrea got her powers but more importantly can the gang come up with a way to stop her vengeance kick before she does kill someone?_


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

For the next 15 minutes Andrea stands in a crouch on the roof edge looking out at the city. Clark had used the time to retrieve Chloe because leaving her alone in Suicide Slums is...well suicide.

"So does anyone want to start?" Chloe asks, fed-up of the silence.

Claire starts. "Andrea's mom ran this group, Acrata. She dedicated her life to it. They fought the gangs, the dealers, even the suits who wanted to tear down the homes around here and put up one of their faceless towers. She and Andrea would help out at the church. She was this... little woman, but she was a badass," Claire remembers her fondly. That's how Claire knew them. They tried to help the down and outs and in many ways Claire, being a homeless street kid, was one of the people they tried to help.

Andrea smiles a little at Claire's description of her mother.

"However what I don't remember is you being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound," Claire says to Andrea, essentially asking the question of where did Andrea get her powers from.

Andrea supposes it is time to speak. She turns round and drops down off the edge. "It was before the summer. There was this gang war. Claimed Edge's life."

"I heard that," Claire says. After all the death of such a major figure as Morgan Edge made the news.

Clark listens on in silence but intrigued. He had his suspicions that that gang war had been Lionel's doing.

"They attacked our office when my mom and I were working late one night. I didn't even feel the knife go in," Andrea recalls and she pulls her red top down just enough to see the top of the vertical scar consistent with heart surgery.

"Your transplant," Chloe figures out as it drops into place. Andrea was stabbed in the heart. That's why she needed the transplant in the first place. It was just dumb luck that one was available at that exact right moment to save Andrea's life.

Claire looks confused.

"Her heart came from a meteor mutant," Chloe explains for Claire's benefit.

Clark isn't sure how that explains her powers...but where kryptonite mutations are involved he has learned to just go with it.

"The worse part of it is remembering being normal," Andrea laments trying to cope with what she is now compared to what she was before. "Do you remember being normal, Claire?"

Claire shakes her head. "No. It happened to me when I was 3."

"What about your big lug of a friend here?" Andrea asks, nodding her head in Clark's direction.

"I was born this way," Clark answers.

"You're lucky," Andrea comments her feelings on the issue. She then pulls out a locket on a chain around her neck. "I carry this, always, to remember the person who died to give me life." She flips it open and inside is a green rock which starts glowing.

Clark coughs and wheezes and stumbles back.

"Close that!" Claire snaps.

Andrea does, looking very confused.

"I'm kind of allergic," Clark explains.

"To a rock? Ok whatever," Andrea says, totally lost at how that makes any sense. "So what now? Does Chloe expose me?"

"We weren't looking to expose you, Andrea," Chloe insists. "We were just..."

"Concerned," Clark finishes it off.

"About?" Andrea wants to know.

"You. The force you have been using against people with little regard for their welfare," Clark describes the problem.

"Do not lecture me!" Andrea snaps. "You don't know what they did!"

"What did they do?" Claire asks, her...well friend would be too strong a term for it.

"Before I fell unconscious from being stabbed the last thing I saw was Snake putting a bullet between my mother's eyes," Andrea says and her whole face shows the anguish, the heartbreak.

Fire flashes up around Claire before dying down. Her teeth are literally grinding against each other and she struggles to keep her temper in check. God, she actually liked Andrea's mother and to think Snake...the bastard! She'll fry him, she swears.

"I'm sorry about your mother," Clark says sympathetically. "But that doesn't justify the force you have been using. Do you even know how fragile people are?"

Andrea narrows her eyes at him, a little pissed. She stalks up to him and stares into his eyes. "And what do you know of loss? Tell me of one precious thing you have ever lost?" she demands of him. He does not get to lecture her on something she thinks he can't possibly understand.

Chloe slightly winces because where Clark is concerned that question is opening a Pandora Box of repressed loss.

"One thing?" Clark seeks clarification that is all Andrea wants.

Andrea nods.

"Everything."

Andrea stares into his eyes as his defences fall away and she stares into the unfathomable depths of loss he carries. The loss of his parents, his world, his people, the life he should have been leading, the endless lost possibilities of that life. It is breathtaking...and entrancing.

Chloe puts her closed hand to her mouth and coughs...before they start making out...or at least they look pretty close to doing that.

Clark and Andrea back away from each other. That was...a moment.

"Was Snake the one who stabbed you?" Claire asks.

Andrea shakes her head. "No. I don't who this guy was. He wore this all over red and black suit and carried a whole ton of weapons and he talked like non-stop."

Clark and Claire look at each other with the same rather puzzled expression at the familiar sounding description.

"Does that sound like...?" Claire begins to ask Clark.

Clark nods to confirm it does. "Deadpool."

"You know him?!" Andrea asks, the ire in her voice rising since she blames him as much as Snake for her mother's death.

"Believe me we wished we didn't," Claire assures Andrea. "He's nuts."

"He's a mercenary. Ruthless, deadly," Clark fills in.

"Insane," Claire adds for good measure because she remembers being a prisoner in Stryker's base at Alkali Lake and having to listen and deal with that nutcase for 3 straight days. She's an underutilised cartoon character whose potential was massively wasted according to him. Riiggghhhttt. Where was the straitjacket when you needed it?

"Mercenary," Andrea picks up that word. "Working for who?"

"Stryker," Claire growls angrily.

"Who was working for Lionel Luthor," Clark expands the chain of command up.

"You know something, don't you?" Chloe figures from Clark's tone.

"I had my suspicions but not until after you told me Edge was dead."

"Lionel staged it to make Edge's death look like just another turf war. That's what you think," Chloe works out.

"I can't prove it."

Andrea paces like a caged animal. Her mother and countless others died because of some personal vendetta of Lionel Luthor. Her fists clench, her nails digging into her palms. Someone will pay, she swears. She manages to reign her emotions in. "What happened to you, Claire? You just vanished," Andrea wonders.

"We have something in common. The same person is responsible for our pain. Lionel had me snatched off the street and thrown into a lab to figure out how I ticked. You'll thank me not to give the details. They're not pleasant."

"Then we seek the same justice," Andrea thinks. "Snake...he has answers. He has to. There's no way he managed to climb up the ladder by himself. What's the bet Luthor is still helping him?"

Clark steps up to Andrea and gently places a hand on her arm. "It's not as simple as you think," he cautions her. "Lionel...that's complicated."

Andrea steps very close to him, until their bodies are practically touching and looks into the baby blues. "But you understand. I saw it in your eyes. That pain that never leaves you. Unable to say goodbye." Like him she lost everything when her mother died. Her mother was her whole world.

"It happened when I was a baby. I was literally unable to say goodbye," Clark responds, his tone full of regret.

"It's the same with my mother. I can't say goodbye. Not until I've got her justice." Andrea swears, her face open and pained.

Clark looks into Andrea's brown eyes and can see the terrible, soul wrenching grief within. That was it. That was what he couldn't explain before. What caught him the first time he looked into her eyes. It was the intensity of the emotion present there. It magnifies the allure of her already pretty brown eyes. Any man could lose themselves in that and Clark is no exception. "Is this why you do this? For her?" he asks in a soft voice. Rao, she's so close he can practically feel the heat off her body.

"Yes," Andrea says in a soft tone. "It's not fair."

"No. It's not," Clark agrees, feeling what she is.

"Who did it?" she asks about who took away everything from him.

"A very bad man who got what he deserved," Clark chooses to phrase it.

Andrea has never met anyone, felt the connection to someone, who knows her pain like he does. Being this close to him she feels...god she doesn't know what. Andrea's hand reaches up and almost touches his face to make the connection physical.

"Excuse me," Chloe interrupts the moment. "I need to have a word with him," she says as she grabs Clark and pulls him across to the other side of the rooftop.

Andrea takes a moment to recompose herself and allow her suddenly very heated body to cool off.

"What?" Clark asks Chloe in an aggravated whisper.

"First up; put it back in your pants," Chloe tells him off, keeping her voice low so Andrea and Claire can't hear her.

"Excuse me?"

"What? Superhearing on the blink?"

Clark's eyes narrow. "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do," Chloe bluntly contradicts him. She means, geez, if the sexual tension between Clark and Andrea was any thicker she might need to go have a cold shower. "Ok look she's pretty...gorgeous even but didn't you break up with Rogue like 2 weeks ago?" Chloe reminds him.

"Kinda," he mumbles.

"And even if I don't think it would be you on the rebound she's got major issues Clark. It's not justice she's after."

"It's revenge. I know." He knows because he saw it in her grief stricken eyes.

"Glad to see your hormones haven't completely stuffed up your brain," she mildly snarks.

"She's in pain, Chlo. I understand how she feels...to a point."

"Clark, I'm all for feeling sympathy for her. I lost my mom too in case you forgot but remember this started because you thought she was dangerous."

"I know...and sorry. I do remember about your mom," he apologises to her.

"Apology accepted. What do we do?"

"I don't know. I never expected it to be this personal. I'm not sure I can persuade her off." If anything Andrea's anguish was even more intense than Wanda's...and believe Clark that is saying something. He managed to persuade Wanda off her revenge agenda against her father but he doesn't know if Andrea will listen to him the same way.

"Then we don't," Chloe says with a sudden flash of inspiration.

"What?"

"Clark...you can't stop her hunting down Snake. Then we do the opposite. We help her find him only you will be there to stop her crossing the line. You're the only one powerful enough to physically restrain her if it comes to that."

Clark has to say it is the best plan they have at the moment. "How do we find him?"

"Ask your sister. She seems to know this Snake," Chloe proposes.

Clark agrees with that.

Chloe and Clark rejoin the other 2.

"Ok so we're going to help you find Snake," Chloe announces to Andrea.

Andrea feels a spark of warmth in her otherwise pain-filled heart. "Where do you want to look? I've been trying for weeks," she points out her failures.

"Claire. You knew Snake?" Clark asks her.

"To a point," Claire qualifies.

"Anyone he would keep close to him even as he climbs the ladder?"

Claire raises a hand to her chin as she thinks. "Ono," she comes up with. "He was Snake's right-hand man. Assuming he is still alive he's probably the person Snake would leave in charge to run things down here." She looks to Andrea. "Do they still hang out at the same place on 13th street?"

Andrea nods.

"Then that is where I would start," Claire advises.

* * *

This next part is not going to need Chloe so after making sure she was safely back with his parents temporarily Clark rejoined Andrea(to whom he has returned her mask) and Claire as the 3 marched right in to where the 13th street gang hang out. They are a couple dozen here, huddled around fires in metal barrels.

"That's Ono," Claire points as she spots him. She points at a man of at least partially Asian decent.

The 3 walk in his direction and Clark puts on his best Kal performance. He bumps into one guy hard enough to make him wince in pain.

"Whoa, there, Jethro. Maybe you should put the brawn away and let the brains handle this," Andrea critiques.

"That would be us," Claire points out. "Cause you know women are the brains of any outfit," she smirks.

"So true," Andrea agrees.

Clark rolls his eyes. "This is why I prefer to hang out with Spidey."

"Hey! Ono!" Claire calls out.

The man sneers. "Selton," he virtually spits out her name. "Thought you were dead."

"Only in your dreams. Where's that best buddy of yours? Heard he moved down the scum covered sewers of this city...oh wait in your mind he's moved up hasn't he?"

"Haven't seen him," Ono says.

"You're lying," Clark can detect with his senses.

Andrea grabs Ono by the jacket and lifts him off the ground. "Where is he?!" she almost screams it. She's so close now she can smell her justice.

"So much for brains," Clark mutters under his breath. He then has an idea. He takes Andrea by the arm and gives her a look. She puts Ono down. "Do yourself a favour, tell Snake we're looking for him so you can have an answer when we come back," Clark says to the man.

He then nods at Andrea and Claire to leave with him.

"What are you doing?" Claire almost hisses.

"Yeah. What happened to brains winning the day?" Andrea asks him, equally annoyed.

"Trust me," Clark requests of them. He gazes back as Ono pulls out a phone and dials. Clark listens in.

"Snake. It's Ono. The mutie freak girl was here...as was Selton with some boyscout. They said to tell you they're looking for you."

Clark smirks, vanishes in a gust of wind grabbing the phone off Ono's ear.

Andrea blinks. "What just happened? Where did he go?" she asks Claire.

"Oh you get use to that. I think he just did something clever."

* * *

**The Daily Planet...**

"Sorry for all the running you about, Chlo," Clark apologises as she sits back at Andrea's desk working the phone over with her usual technical expertise.

"Don't apologise, Clark. I haven't had this much fun in weeks," Chloe says with a manic grin. She doesn't count the 'Hurricane Lucy' incident as fun because of, you know, all the heart wrenching family betrayal and duplicitous under-dealings Lucy was involved in.

"Can you check the last number he dialled?"

"No problem," she says as she hooks the phone up to the computer to access it.

Andrea and Claire return from getting changed into something that doesn't stick out as much. Although Claire's clothes are always in reds and oranges.

"Do you always change in the phone booth?" Clark asks Andrea about where she just came from.

"The janitor was in the bathroom," Andrea dead-pans as she removes her contact lenses and sips her glasses back on.

"I thought the glasses were fake. Part of the disguise," Chloe comments at this.

"Are you kidding? I'm blind as a bat. Besides, the mask doesn't look so good with glasses over it."

"Hmm, Acuvue to the rescue," Clark and Chloe simultaneously joke.

Claire chuckles.

Andrea makes a face. She looks at... "Hey, what is your name?" she asks since he has never said it.

"You can call me Kal," Clark offers.

"I know that name. Made some waves a couple of summers back."

"I was going through a rebellious phase. I got past it," Clark says with some tension in his voice.

Andrea didn't actually expect him to confess it was him. "Those were some impressive moves you used to jack that phone. I could use a sidekick more often."

"I'm not a sidekick," Clark protests with a huffy expression.

Chloe and Claire chuckle.

Clark's eyes narrow as he spots Andrea's teasing grin. At least she can still do that. It means she isn't totally lost to her anger. He turns back to Chloe still working on the phone. "We should find a reverse phone list," he suggests as to what to do.

"Yeah and then maybe we can just by-pass the log-on page," Chloe follows on, seeing what it is that Clark is thinking.

"Got it covered," Andrea says as she types in the command on her computer to access the relevant software.

Chloe looks at her. "That's why you work here, isn't it? Because nothing happens in Metropolis without going through the Daily Planet."

"Way to put the pieces together, Brenda Starr," Andrea says rather sarcastically.

"So mild-mannered reporter by day, hero by night," Chloe summarises it.

"Huh. That seems oddly familiar," Claire remarks with a pointed look at her brother.

Chloe sighs as the software does it's job, using the number they got off Ono's phone to hack into Snake's phone account. "Well unless Snake's real name is Beatrice Krauss, I think he's stuck to an old habit and is using a stolen phone," she has to report the problem.

"Can you pull the outgoing calls?" Clark asks her about Snake's phone.

Chloe pulls them up. "Wow. He's a proud user of Fantasy phone. Why I am not surprised?"

"Fantasy phone?" Claire queries.

"Triple X rated service," Chloe explains it's use.

"I don't want to know," Claire decides. Horrible, horrible imagery.

"Good idea," Chloe praises her.

"More importantly though. He's a fan of deep-dish pizza," Clark spots. He takes the phone from Chloe dials the number of the pizza place. "Yeah, hello, I'd like to make my usual order for delivery. My number is 555-1138. 1436 Stanton street. Yes, that's my address. Thank you."

Chloe smiles proudly at him. "That's my champ!"

"So what do we do?" Claire asks.

"Call the police," is Chloe's opinion. "Snake has more than a few outstanding warrants on him. He's just managed to pay himself up with the right people to avoid being caught before now."

"No," Andrea says with intensity.

Chloe gives Clark a worried glance. He leans down. "Just let it play out a little longer," he asks of her in a whisper in her ear.

"Clark," Chloe whispers back, thinking he is pushing it dangerously close to the line. Yes she knows this was her suggestion back on the roof but in her opinion they've done all they need to. They've found where Snake is. It's time to hand it over to the police. If Andrea gets snippy about it, that's Clark's department to restrain her.

"Trust me," Clark asks her. He feels this has to go a little further to get Andrea to see how she is wrong.

Of course Chloe trusts him but she can't see what he is trying to accomplish by letting Andrea get this close to Snake.

* * *

Clark, Claire and Andrea stand on the rooftop opposite from the address they have for Snake. Clark's eyes flash electric blue. "He's there," he can report.

"How do you know that?" Andrea asks him, her expression one of almost incredulity. How can he possibly know that?

"I have many gifts," Clark answers vaguely with his best 'aw shucks' smile.

Andrea finds herself smiling in return a tiny part. "You know that sidekick position can be made permanent," she offers teasingly.

Clark makes a sarcastic 'Oh ha ha aren't you funny' look at her.

Andrea returns to the more immediate aim. Payback for her mother. "He's mine," she declares.

"To do what?" Clark asks her.

"What do you think? I'm going to make the bastard pay! I'm going to kill him...slowly!" Andrea swears darkly.

Clark's face grows sad. "I thought you wanted justice."

"This is justice!"

"No. It's not. What you want is revenge. I only let it go this far in the hope I was wrong that, that was what you wanted. That when we got here you would see what true justice is."

Andrea looks hurt...almost as if he has betrayed her. "I thought you understood," she says in pain-filled harsh whisper.

"I do," Clark tries to make her see. "I know what it means to have blood on your hands, Andrea. You don't want that."

"I can live with it," Andrea has already determined. She has already made the decision.

Clark sighs sadly. This isn't going like he hoped and now he probably will have to physically drag her away from here. "I'm sorry Andrea. I can't let you do this," Clark tells her.

"I'm sorry too," Andrea says as she turns away from him. Then she suddenly spins round, only with the locket she carries open revealing the meteor rock within. Her expression is a mix of rage and anguish as if she is both angry and sorry at the same time.

Clark instantly weakens and she marches up to him, holding the rock to his face as he collapses down. Of all the days not to wear his costume that can provide protection.

Claire grabs Andrea's arm, trying to move it, a hopeless task for her. "What are you doing?!" she screams, knowing what the rock can do to her brother.

"What I have to," Andrea says coldly. She turns her and head looks Claire in the eye. "You understand. You have to. I saw the pain in your eyes about what they did to you. Snake can have your answers about where Luthor is. I promise you I'll let him live long enough to tell you. We can make them all pay Claire. Snake will only be the first. We'll find Luthor, this Stryker and this Deadpool. They're all responsible. They need justice."

Claire does feel anger...does feel the pain Andrea talks about. She loathes Stryker and Luthor. She does want to see Snake pay for what he did. She did swear she would make them pay and she does keep her word...and right now, after the last day or so of confronting her past, her emotions have never been more openly raw and volatile.

"Claire," Clark groans from his foetal position on the ground. "Don't," he begs her.

There is a conflict Claire feels between her brother and Andrea. This...this is what Marie was talking about and her girlfriend is right. It's not an easy decision. On one hand she knows it's wrong...or is it? There is loyalty to her brother...on the other hand what they did to her...Claire can't even begin to put into words.

Clark's face scrunches up against the indescribable pain. "Claire," he tries again. "Remember what we talked about. Turn it into a positive, not a negative."

"This is a positive!" Andrea proclaims. "These people...the law can't hold them to account. It's up to us! Luthor...where is he Claire? What is he doing? Planning to hurt all your friends again just like last time?"

That was true, Claire must admit. She knows better than most what an ass the law is. If they don't hold these people to account who will? Claire looks down at her brother writhing in pain. It's not like she is enjoying seeing him like that...then again if was able he would try and stop them. "Luthor threatens all of us. You know that. We have to stop him."

"We will," Clark promises. "Not...this...way," he struggles to get the words out as the kryptonite poisoning really starts to kick in.

"I have to protect my family," Claire says, her long openly denied protection instinct kicking in.

"That's right," Andrea's voice is silky seductive to the cause at the moment. "You're simply going to take care of those that threaten the ones you care about."

Claire takes Andrea's locket and places it on the ground next to Clark. "I'm sorry...but she's right."

Clark can't believe this. He can't believe he has misjudged this situation this badly.

Claire stands up, ready to leave with Andrea.

"Mom!" Clark bursts out in a last desperate attempt to stop her. "Think of mom. Will you ever be able to look her in the eye and explain this, Claire?"

The conflict is clear in Claire's orange eyes but she makes her decision. "I'll be back," she says and with that she leaves with Andrea, leaving Clark writhing in agony on the rooftop as they head to their dark confrontation with Snake.

* * *

_Author's Note: It's probably been forgotten but in my first story of this series I had Lionel burn his bridges with Morgan Edge by sending Deadpool to Metropolis to kill him but make it look like a turf war, hence setting it up for Andrea's mother to be killed, Deadpool to be the one who stabs Andrea through the heart and her to start on her path of vengeance a couple of years earlier. It could have just been me but I do remember some sparkage between Clark and Andrea in that episode that I wanted to keep although Chloe is right in saying it would be Clark on the rebound from Rogue. Oh Claire...poor conflicted Claire. What are you doing? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Will Claire and Andrea go through with it? Can Clark stop them?_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It wasn't a luxury penthouse...yet but it was a damn site of an improvement on living in Suicide Slums. The man known as Snake definitely felt he was moving up in the world. He picked the right horse in backing Luthor in that war with Edge...although if he never meets that Deadpool guy again it will still be too soon.

Snake looks out his window at Metropolis' skyline. One day he would be over there, where the lights are brightest, where the elite live.

Then Snake spots a bright flash in the distance and as it grows and gets brighter he realises it's a ball of fire heading right at him. He throws himself out the way as the window shatters. His head turns as a masked woman dressed in red and black jumps in through the window followed by a more familiar figure dressed in red and orange flying in and landing.

"Honey! We're home!" Claire jests grimly.

"Selton," Snake growls as he picks himself up. He reaches into his jacket only for the woman in the red and black to move with surprising speed and grab his arm. She pulls it out and in his grip is a pistol.

Andrea's eyes grow cold and dark at seeing the gun. It looks like...

Andrea grabs it while slamming her fist into Snake's chest sending him flying across the room and toppling over the couch. She stalks after him, flinging the couch out of her way like a toy. She grabs Snake by his collar and throws him against the wall hard enough to crack the plaster. "Is this it?!" she screams in his face. "Is this the gun you use to kill my mother?!"

Snake coughs painfully. "Lady, I've killed a lot of people's mothers," he states it, his tone bordering on pride.

Andrea cocks the gun and brings the barrel up against his forehead in the same place he shot her mother. "Talk! Where's the rest of them that were involved? Deadpool, Stryker, Luthor. Where are they?"

"Luthor was arrested in case you missed it," Snake retorts.

"He escaped," Claire states.

"Good for him," Snake praises Lionel. "But I haven't talked to him since he was."

"Liar!" Andrea spits in his face.

Snake chuckles. "You really have no idea how it works do you? You dress up in a costume and pretend you do but you don't. There's a saying about honour amongst thieves. Doesn't exist. I know people who would sell their own mothers to get up one step in this world. There is no such thing as loyalty. What you might call loyalty lasts only for as long as you are feared. Luthor and Deadpool are gone. I have nothing to fear from them any more so I have no loyalty to them. I haven't spoken to them in months."

"In that case there's no point in delaying this," Andrea decides. She makes the choice. She is going to kill him. _'This is for you, mom,'_ she says in her head. "Goodbye," she says coldly and gets ready to pull the trigger.

Only at the last second a brilliant flare blinds her, sending her reeling back. When Andrea can see again she finds Claire standing right between herself and Snake, in the direct line of fire.

* * *

Clark groans as the radiation poisons him. He's got to close that locket. He has to stop them. He crawls very slowly toward it, the pain increasing all the time.

"Clark!" a concerned voice calls out. It's Chloe who runs over and snaps the locket shut. She bends down next to him. "What happened?" she asks him.

The pain starts to ease. "I screwed up. I thought if I let her reach the edge of the abyss she would see how deep that fall is and step back but she didn't. I should have listened to you Chlo," he berates himself. He should have done what she said and just called the police back at the Planet.

"At least you had the sense to make sure I was your back-up," she partially exonerates him. Yes, Clark Kent actually thought ahead. Chloe was amazed. She had been down on the street below and when she saw only Andrea and Claire leave the rooftop she knew something had gone wrong and here she is.

Chloe helps Clark to his feet. He's a little unsteady. "I have to stop them," he says with determination as he marches to the rooftop edge. "Call the police, Chlo. Hopefully I'm not too late." With that he bends his legs and pushes himself off and leaps over to the building while Chloe dials 911.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Andrea hisses at Claire, shocked and angered at being denied her justice.

"I can't let you do it." Claire was there watching this and she suddenly realised she couldn't go through with it or let Andrea do this.

"Then I'll kill you too!" Andrea swears.

"No, you won't," Claire says with remarkable calmness.

"Yes. I will."

"No. Because I'm going to speak and you're going to listen to me," Claire tells her.

"You wanted this!" Andrea argues.

"I thought I did but I don't. Neither do you. Not really."

"Yes. I do," Andrea says from between her teeth. "This is the only way mom can rest in peace."

"And what about your peace? Killing him won't make it better."

"That's not what it is about!"

"Yes, it is!" Claire shouts back. "Yes. It is. I know how you feel. I felt it. Difference is I have already killed people and I can tell you it doesn't make the pain go away. It only makes it worse...unless you're someone like him," she sticks her thumb out behind her at Snake. "Someone who no longer feels anything."

"I can live with it," Andrea believes.

"Can you? And what about your mother?"

"What about her?"

"I thought of mine. I thought what would I say if she knew I let this happen. I thought about what she would think of me. I want to be able to look into her eyes and not see shame. That's why I can't let you do this." Clark's last words about mom had been ringing in her head this whole time and Claire had realised she couldn't bear to let her mom down which she would if she had allowed this to continue.

"My mother is dead," Andrea says who is barely controlling her grief and anger.

"One day you'll see her again and look into her eyes and what will you say? How will you justify this?"

"She's dead. It doesn't matter."

"Bullshit! I saw you every Sunday at church. You believe in it all. God, heaven, hell. You believe one day you'll see your mother again and so I ask you what is it you will say to her? What will you tell her when she asks what you did with your life? What sort of person you became? Is what you are about to do, what you are about to come, is that what she would have wanted for you?"

"Please get out of my way," Andrea asks, her voice losing its strength.

"My brother pointed out what matters is what we do with our pain. What we turn it into. Who we are at our core. Who are you? Are you the hero who saves people? Or are you the villain who takes lives?"

"Get out of my way," Andrea repeats her request.

"I believe you're a hero...but if I'm wrong then you best shoot me now because if you don't I will kick your ass," Claire swears.

"I won't ask again," Andrea says after a noticeable delay.

"Fine. Then shoot me. Come on! Shoot me!" Claire demands. "I'm right here! I'm standing in your way! If all you care about is your revenge then fucking shoot me!"

"It's not revenge," Andrea says in a whisper so weak it's hardly like she believes herself.

"Yes. It is," Claire pronounces it to be. "Your mother, all she wanted was to try and make people's lives around here better, to stop the cycle of violence but if this is what you think your mother will have wanted, if this is how you think you can honour what she believed in then stop delaying and shoot me!"

By now the hand Andrea is using to hold the gun is visibly shaking.

"Look into my eyes," Claire asks her. "See that everything I have said is true. There is no peace this way. There is only more pain," she tells Andrea, her face openly expressive, full of the grief and agony and torment she lives with every day.

Andrea tries to make her finger pull the trigger one last time. She stares deep into Claire's eyes...only it is not Claire she is seeing any longer. It's her mother, standing right there, right in front of her. It's her eyes Andrea stares into...and sees some phantom reflection of herself. A reflection of a daughter of whom her mother would be ashamed of. "I can't," she says, defeated. She can't do it.

Andrea lowers the gun, all her vast strength feels like it is gone. Her head drops, tears leak from under her mask.

Claire lets out a breath she hadn't even realised she had been holding. She walks over to Andrea and places her hand on the gun. "It's ok. Let it go," she says.

Andrea's grip fails and Claire takes the gun away.

Snake takes the opportunity to run for it. He is just about at the double doors when they explode inward, smashing into him and knocking him out.

Claire looks up as standing in the doorway is her brother, looking not particularly amused with her. "Good timing," she jokes about Snake.

Clark folds his arms across his chest and looks stern. "We are so going to be having a family meeting about this," he promises her.

Claire grins sheepishly.

Andrea suddenly makes a break for it and leaps out the window.

Clark blurs over to the window but she has actually managed to get out of direct line of sight already.

Claire joins him at the window. "Do we go after her?"

"No. I think I have an idea where she is going."

"Where?"

"To say the goodbye she hadn't been able to before. Call it a hunch."

Claire just goes with it. "I'm sorry...about the kryptonite," she apologises. "I just...for a moment thought she was right but she was wrong. I was wrong. Sorry."

"I forgive you but don't expect me to forget this any time soon," he tells her. He forgives her because he knows all about making bad choices. In fact it was his bad choice that put them into that position in the first place. He should have considered more where Claire was emotionally. At least in the end she chose to do the right thing. That helps earn his forgiveness.

"How did you get away from it?" Claire wonders.

"I had Chloe as back-up. I just never told you about it."

"Cunning. Didn't know you had it in you," Claire compliments him.

The two siblings turn and walk to stand over Snake.

Claire looks at him and then up at her brother as something occurs to her. "How long were you outside that door?"

"What do you mean?"

"Either it was the greatest coincidence ever that you made it there just as this fucker was running for it or you were there listening. Which is it?"

Clark smiles in praise at her. "I was giving you the chance to do what I couldn't," he confirms in a roundabout way he was there listening to the whole conversation Claire had with Andrea.

"Which was?"

"Reach Andrea. I couldn't but I had a feeling you could. I thought you could understand her in a way I couldn't so I gave you a chance to prove it."

"Did you just take a massive fucking gamble with my life?" Claire asks, bordering on being totally pissed at him.

"Ahem, who left me next to a rock that can kill me?" he reminds her.

That knocks the fire out of her. "I was going to come back," Claire insists. She was.

"Calculated risk?"

"Wasn't really thinking like that. Sorry...again."

Clark sighs before conceding a truth. "Ok it might have been a small calculated risk on my part too...but I had faith in you. I believed you could do it," he modifies any belief she might have had he was stupidly gambling with her life.

Well Claire appreciates the belief in her but still. "What would have happened if she had chosen to shoot me?"

"Well I am faster than a speeding bullet ya know," Clark points out. He was all prepared to dash in at the last second but luckily it never came to that. "And it worked. I didn't save her in my stupid boyscout way. You saved her in your stupid girl guide way."

"I was never a goddam girl guide, scout or any shit like that," Claire tells him in no uncertain fashion. She wouldn't be caught dead as one of them.

"But you saved her," Clark repeats the point. And in the end that is why he forgives Claire. She did it. She saved Andrea from making a terrible mistake.

"Yeah. I did," Claire says with a small smile pulling on her lips. There is a feeling inside her she has never felt before. A sort of warmth at the idea she did something truly good for once. "What do we do with him?" Claire asks pointing at Snake.

"Is that the gun he used to kill Andrea's mother?" Clark asks about the weapon in her hand.

"He never said. I think Andrea thought so."

"Then the police can match it to the bullet that killed Andrea's mother. Just remember to wipe your prints off of it before the police get here...which will be in about 2 minutes," he warns her from what he can hear.

"Shit," Claire swears under her breath as she tries to clean the gun as best she can. "You called them?"

"Chloe did. If it is the gun, trust me he'll be going to jail for a very long time."

"Good," Claire says with some venom. Once cleaned Claire throws the gun down next to Snake. Then she and Clark makes their exit out the window too, unseen by the enforcers of the law.

* * *

Andrea pulls her mask off as she stands in front of...in front of...god she has not been here since she buried her mother. Being here...seeing her mother's grave meant saying goodbye and she couldn't do that.

She breathes heavily as her emotions threaten to overwhelm her. She falls down to her knees. "I'm sorry," she whispers tearfully. "I'm sorry," she repeats. "I couldn't do it. Mom. I'm so, so sorry. I..."

Words fail her for awhile. She feels so lost.

"I don't know what's right or wrong any more. I thought if I found the guy who shot you and...and..."

"Made sure he got justice," a voice from behind her says.

Andrea turns to find Kal standing there.

Clark looks at her tear streaked face with deep sorrow. "And he will. I promise," he gives his absolute word. Chloe would use her friend in the police to make sure Snake was linked to the death of Andrea's mother and with a little luck the evidence will do the rest.

Andrea turns back to her mother's gravestone.

Clark moves forward and kneels down beside her. She turns to him...she collapses into his arms as the emotions she has been holding in for months spill out of her. She sobs and wails and curses and rants and this is why he had to come. Only he could physically absorb her raw grief as she slams her fists into his chest about how unfair it is to simply squeezing him tight as if he is the only anchor she has in the world. If Clark had been anyone else she would crush their bones to dust.

Clark just holds her until she pours it all out, until she is emotionally exhausted. "It'll be ok," he promises her as he gently brushes her hair down and rubs her back.

You may argue Clark can't promise that but they stopped her crossing the line and hopefully now she will grieve as she should do so he can be at least optimistic that Andrea has a brighter future ahead of her.

Once she has spilled her pain out Andrea looks at her mother's grave and manages to whisper the one word she never could before. "Goodbye."

* * *

**The next day at the Daily Planet...**

Andrea sits at her desk and types up what could be her last story. The reasons she came to work here were all for her mother and that was over. Now she didn't see any reason to continue.

Being Christmas Eve it was quiet but Andrea didn't mind. Working is better than sitting in her apartment stewing. It's a distraction from her grief.

Andrea still isn't sure if she did right by letting Snake live but she can't find it in herself any more to want to kill him. It seems like she cried out all her hate last night in Kal's arms.

She had to admit that was...nice. Just to feel the warmth and comfort of another of human being. Since she became superstrong her sense of touch had changed. She couldn't feel the touch of another person like she use to but he was different and she could feel it with him.

Andrea drops her head to rest her chin on her hand. Her emotions are so raw and swirling around inside her she isn't sure what she is feeling at the moment except for the one brief shining moment when she did feel a...connection to Kal. Something she hadn't felt to anyone in awhile. It had been the first positive thing she had felt since her mother died.

Just then her phone beeps to indicate a text message has been received. She grabs her phone and brings it up.

_The Roof. Under the Globe. Claire._

Andrea wonders what this is about. She stands up from her desk and makes her way to the elevator. She rides it all the way to the top before climbing the flight of stairs that lead to the roof. She steps out and spots Claire sitting on the roof edge swinging her legs back and forth.

"I got your message," Andrea announces herself.

"We just wanted to see how you were doing," Claire explains why she is here.

"We?" Andrea queries.

Claire points to behind Andrea who turns to see Kal...only in a very different outfit. "That's why you looked familiar. You're Superman!" it suddenly falls into place.

Superman grins lopsidedly. "You've heard about little 'ol me...all the way out here?" he sounds surprised, making light of it.

"I am a reporter," Andrea explains that

"You're an intern," Superman counters.

Andrea shrugs. "Maybe not either soon."

"You're quitting?" Claire asks, surprised.

"It was all about my mom."

"That's not true," Superman argues calmly. "You helped people and there are a lot more people out there that need help. The world needs heroes."

"I'm not a hero."

"Don't sell yourself short, Andrea. Those people you helped had nothing to do with your mother but you saved them anyway. If you want a grander reason then consider this. The world is changing. There are thousands of mutants in the world and their numbers are growing exponentially. They need examples to follow. They need, dare I say it, role models."

Andrea snorts.

Clark ignores that and continues. "And as for your writing, Chloe says you're good and if she says that that means you're amazing...although you apparently lack fire."

Andrea arches an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she questions that, feeling...yes, insulted.

"I get it. You may not believe me but I do. The whole mild-mannered act to hide yourself away."

"Trust me. He gets it," Claire chimes in helpfully.

"That doesn't mean you can't put your passion into your work."

"I'm just not sure this is me," Andrea claims.

"I won't tell you how to live your life but can I request you make no hasty decisions. After all that whole thing about information coming through the Planet holds water. I told Claire you can take your pain and turn it into a positive...and you can. You can make sure no-one has to suffer losing their mother like you have," he boils it down to a more personal reason for her to continue.

Andrea lets his words percolate down. She wouldn't wish what she had had to endure on anyone. "I'll think on it," she says, needing more time to let her grief subside and to be able to think with a clear head.

"That's all I ask," Superman says with a gentile smile. "Here. This is yours," he says as he holds out her locket. He had retrieved it from the rooftop for her.

Andrea reaches up and takes it back, flashing him a smile of gratitude.

Clark steps up nose to nose with her. "Just a note, if you think about using that on me again, this suit protects me against the rock. You try it and I'll throw it into orbit...and I make no promises that you still won't be attached to it."

A shiver goes through Andrea at his words...a pleasant one strangely. She smirks a little. "I look forward to seeing you try," she almost purrs the words.

This time Clark is the one who gets the pleasant shiver.

Claire rolls her eyes. Flirting alert! She coughs. "We have to get going," she reminds her brother.

"Right," Clark says with a little disappointment in his tone. "We do, I'm afraid," he says to Andrea. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small card. "My number," he explains what this is. "If you ever need to talk...about anything, just call me," he offers to be her sounding board.

"Call you what?" Andrea asks back. "Because I'm guessing Kal isn't your real name."

"Actually it is...but you're sort of right in that I have another. You already know what that is."

"I do?"

Clark leans in and whispers in her ear. "I was the one who knocked the papers out of your hands."

Andrea's eyes widen. "Clark Kent," she recalls the name in a whisper. She is totally surprised. "How did I not see that?"

Clark smirks. "Magic."

"Fine. Don't tell me," Andrea thinks he's being deliberately obtuse.

Clark sighs and looks to his sister. "You see I tell them the truth and they don't believe me."

"That's just your lot in life I suppose," Claire says with a grin.

Clark makes a face. "Sister from hell," he describes her as to Andrea who giggles slightly.

Good Lord it has been a long time since she last giggled. She had forgot how nice it was. She's been numb for so long it's nice to feel anything again.

"Like you're a prize catch," Claire retaliates.

"We have to go," Clark says sincerely to Andrea. "Stay safe and if you choose to carry on with the heroing stuff remember to take it easy. Not everyone is as durable as I am," he requests of her, not forgetting what started this whole thing in the first place.

"I'll keep it in mind," Andrea promises him.

Clark smiles and walks toward his sister. He pauses and turns his head to look at Andrea. "Oh and if you do you might want to rethink that whole Angel of Vengeance name," he also advises.

"It's about Justice. Not vengeance," Andrea nods in understanding.

Clark nods, glad to see she gets it. He resumes his walk and then stops and turns his head to her again. "Oh actually I had an idea about a new name," he mentions. "Remember what you said about being blind as a bat?"

"Uh huh?" Andrea queries, not sure where this is going.

"How about Batgirl?"

Andrea arches an eyebrow that says 'hell no!'.

"Batwoman?" Clark suggests his second option.

Andrea folds her arms across her chest and gives a stern look of 'not a chance!'.

"No?" Clark says rather deflated at being shot down.

"No," Andrea confirms.

"Fine," Clark mutters disappointedly. He walks up to his sister talking under his breath. He was sure he was onto something with that Bat idea. Andrea dressed in black, went out at night. "Bats...bats...creatures of the night...flap their wings...wings of justice..."

Clark's eyes light up and he spins round. "Got it! Nightwing!"

"That's...actually pretty good," Andrea has to admit.

Clark grins triumphantly. "Oh. Symbol. You should have a symbol!" he suggests excitedly, almost like a little kid.

"Symbol. Right. I'll think on it," Andrea says, a little off-put by his enthusiasm.

"Righty oh then!" Clark says cheerfully.

"Oh stop looking so smug," Claire tells him off. "It took you 3 attempts to get to one she liked," she shoots him down.

"Just once could you be supportive," Clark asks of her.

"I came with you didn't I," Claire argues back.

"I am so disowning you," Clark vows as he hops up on the edge.

"Not if I disown you first."

Clark looks behind him. "Bye, Andrea."

"Yeah. Bye," Claire says her farewells too.

Andrea is almost splitting her gut with laughter at the two of them squabbling. "Bye," she manages between heaves.

"Just one more thought," Claire says. "As much as I want to I can't stay. I have a family that needs me. The people down in Suicide Slums they need someone to kick the scum and keep them safe. You grew up there, Andrea. You know that as well I do. Just keep it in mind."

Clark smiles. It was quite mature of Claire that.

"I guess I have a lot to think on," Andrea says.

"Remember for anything, no matter what, if you need a friend, call me," Clark reminds her. "And if you decide, in the end, this place is no longer for you, there would be a place for you at the Xavier Institute."

Andrea flashes him one last timid smile. "Thanks...but Metropolis is my home. I don't see that changing," she turns down the offer.

"As you wish," Clark accepts.

Claire powers up and takes to the air while Clark bends his knees and pushes off in a way not dissimilar to what Andrea does...only Clark can make himself glide and get much further away.

Andrea walks over to the edge and watches Clark blur away into the distance leaping from rooftop to rooftop while the burning trail of fire indicates where Claire is. It's strange. She is still grieving her mother and the sky is overcast and grey. In fact there are a few small flakes of snow falling down yet somehow the world just seems a little brighter today.

* * *

**Suicide Slums...**

The Kents were just preparing to leave to head back to Bayville and were just saying their farewells to Father Mulcahy.

Claire is the last one up. She stands there unusually shy and nervous looking. This is what she has been putting off for 2 days.

"Claire," Father Mulcahy addresses her. "You've been avoiding me."

"Me?" Claire question that, pointing at herself, looking as innocent as can be. "How can you think that? You know me."

"I do. Better now your brother told me what happened with you talking the Angel of Vengeance down."

"H-he told you that?" Claire says in surprise.

"Yes he did. That was very brave of you."

"Or fucking stupid," Claire gives the alternative view.

"I could stand here and say we have much to discuss but in reality I have only one thing to say."

"Which is?" Claire asks, her face furrowed deep with worry about what he will say.

"I am very proud you. I was proud of you when you were growing up around here and I am proud of the woman you are growing into."

"B-but the things I have done."

"We all make mistakes, Claire. What matters is that you are trying to turn yours into something positive. Don't forget what you have done but forgive yourself, try to live a good life...listen to your heart because under it all it has always been in the right place...and a phone call every now and again would be nice," Father Mulcahy teases.

Claire smiles and then surprising even herself throws her arms around Father Mulcahy's neck. "Thank you," she whispers, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Father Mulcahy pats her on the back.

"I'll phone. I promise," she says before she leaves him and heads to the truck. With one final wave to Father Mulcahy she slips inside...and then starts grumbling how Clark is crushing her again.

The truck drives off through Metropolis. Like on the way here as soon as they get a chance Clark will carry them the rest of the way home.

Martha notices Clark's far off expression. "You alright honey?" she asks her son.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking about Andrea. I hope she'll be alright."

"I think she will be," Martha gives her opinion based on what Clark and Claire told her about events. "She's gotten over the hardest part. She's accepted her mother's loss and is starting to deal with it. It's never easy but she'll get there."

Clark supposes his mother knows best. He laughs suddenly.

"What, Clark?" Jonathan asks at the sudden outburst of humour.

"I just realised. This is 2 Christmases in a row I've ended up searching for an 'Angel'," he elaborates the irony that just struck him. Last year he, Scott and Rogue hunted down Warren and this year it was Andrea.

Jonathan and Martha realise he is right. It was wryly funny.

"Just your dumb luck I suppose," Claire says.

"Speaking of dumb, as for you young lady, we still have to discuss you asking her to shoot you," Martha says sternly because that was daft.

"But mom I...I saved the day," Claire says in her defence.

"Doesn't make it any less stupid," Clark points out to annoy her.

"Right. This coming from the guy who told Andrea his secret identity," Claire hits back.

"I had to earn her trust. She's in a very delicate place...which we both understand," Clark defends himself.

"Ok that one I'll give you," Claire concedes. "So speaking of Andrea is it a full church do for you two?"

"What do you mean, Claire?" Jonathan asks as he drives.

"Him and Andrea," she jerks her thumb at Clark. "They were exchanging looks so smouldering even I couldn't replicate the heat."

"That's...that's..." Clark is clearly struggling to deny that without lying. "That's a complete exaggeration," he finally comes up with.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Martha," Jonathan requests of his wife. "But that wasn't a denial was it?"

"Nope," Martha says giving her son a look.

"I don't need that look, mom," Clark pleads. "Chloe's already given me the 'You're on the rebound' speech."

"That's true. She did," Claire confirms this indeed happened just before Clark took Chloe home to Smallville.

"Alright, honey," Martha accepts he understands what it is he was feeling. "But just remember Andrea is in a more delicate place than you."

"I will," Clark promises. "I...just want to be the friend for her she needs to speak to."

Martha and Jonathan believe Clark believes that is what it only is.

"Nor are you off the hook for poisoning your brother, Claire," Martha adds, her tone clearly indicating how unhappy she is at her daughter for that.

That one Claire can't argue. "I'm sorry," is all she can say again.

Clark had already forgiven her and Martha knows Claire must have been in a rough spot but still...it was a balance. Not to overly berate her over it but make sure she understands what she did was wrong. If Claire sees it then they can all move on.

"I spoke to the Professor," Jonathan mentions, deciding to change the topic onto something lighter and more positive. "He says it's snowing quite heavily in Bayville."

"Snow," Clark says, his eyes lighting up like a small kid's.

Martha almost bursts out into a laugh at Clark's expression of child-like wonder. Despite everything he has gone through lately that goofy little boy she loves is always there.

"And Wanda showed up this morning," Jonathan also mentions.

Ooh. Wanda. Clark was meaning to discuss something with Claire about Wanda. "Claire. About Wanda, you'll be nice to her, right?"

Claire frowns. "Why?"

"Well, uh, you see she was lamenting her family and she wished she had a brother like me so I said she could think of me like that if she wanted."

"What in the fucking high are you on?" Claire asks him. "Do you have to adopt everyone in the world? You already call Kitty your annoying little sister."

"Well she is like that," Clark defends himself. "And look I'm not asking you to be best buddies or anything. Just be civil to her. I mean you do understand better than most about having a crazy loony toon father."

"I think I should be insulted," Martha dead-pans since she was engaged to that loony toon father once.

"No offence mom, but really what were you thinking?"

"I have to agree with Clark," Claire says.

"I was young and didn't know better. Something the two of you should be more than familiar with," Martha points out.

"Good going. You hurt her feelings," Claire mumbles at him.

"You agreed with me," Clark mumbles back.

"Screw you," Claire mutters at him.

"Right back at ya," Clark mutters back.

Martha looks to Jonathan. "Is it too late to hand them back?" she asks her husband with an incredibly straight face.

Jonathan laughs. What a family they were now. This was going to be an interesting Christmas.

* * *

**Secret SHIELD facility...**

Colonel Fury, along with varying high-ranking military personnel, including 3-star General Samuel Lane, sit in what is essentially an observation booth.

Down below is a high-tech lab/medical facility. In the centre stands the cryogenic pod that houses Steven Rogers aka Captain America.

It was time.

Time to see if the legendary first superhero could be revived.

Bruce Banner and his several assistants busy themselves about.

Time was crucial.

Captain America had been frozen at the very threshold of death. They had to thaw him and administer the platelets in the pattern and dose Banner had calculated with precise timing before the cellular decay caused by the Rebirth procedure killed him.

In the trials on the tissue samples it worked. In the computer simulations it worked. The platelets, whose origins still can't be figured out, correct the original flaw caused by Rebirth, regenerate the cells and the Captain's enhanced immune system does the rest, taking over and ensuring the effect is permanent, unlike all the trails Lionel Luthor performed where the regenerative effect was only temporary.

However, successful trials never equate to guaranteed success on the real-life subject. There is always that incalculable factor when it comes to dealing with a real person.

"We're ready," Banner announces up to the assembled VIPs.

"Proceed," Fury permits and then he and the others lean forward to try and gain a better view, almost without thinking about it.

Bruce takes a deep breath and tries to focus his mind through the sedatives he takes to keep the Hulk quiet...yet Bruce could almost still hear that voice. That angry, rage filled voice at the back of his head.

"Begin the thawing process," Banner orders.

The supply of cryogenic fluid is terminated. The pod is cracked open and the sides taken away making it possible to access all areas of the Captain.

Bruce takes a moment to just look at him. Bruce the first man to look at the Legend in the full flesh in 70 years. He is still dressed in his famous red, white and blue costume. A blue cowl that covers what is his short blond hair, as part of his blue, kevlar-reinforced battle-suit, with a white star across the chest, and red-and-white stripes just beneath the star, with a plain brown utility belt around his waist, with red gloves and black combat boots. That uniform was on a par with today's standards. For 70 years old it is a miracle...a moment of genius invention, way ahead of its time(Officially kevlar wasn't invented until 20 years after the war).

"Cut the suit away," Bruce orders and it almost pains him to say it. "We need access to a vein."

His assistants get to work and start to cut away at the tough material with the special cutting tools designed for the task until the Captain is reduced to the pair of white cotton, army issued, underpants he wore. Varying sensors are stuck to the body to monitor bodily functions.

Bruce bends down and examines the skin closely. He needs a vein so they can process Rogers' blood.

"There," he points to his assistant at the point he chooses. Bruce wanders round to find another. In one end out the other. "There," he points at his second choice.

As his assistants insert the needles and tubes Bruce speaks up to his guests. "We will pump out his blood, warm it through the device, filter it through dialysis and put it back. This will speed up the thawing process," he informs them of the next step.

"And the adding of the platelets, Dr Banner?" one of the VIPs asks.

"Has to be timed carefully for when his metabolism beings to reassert itself. The platelets will work in conjunction with his own healing ability to repair the genetic flaw of the rebirth process. They can't do it by themselves while he is still in a state of cryogenic stasis."

For now Bruce just has to wait. This is the worst part. Waiting.

Bruce stares at the heart monitor. It is flat but as soon as Rogers' metabolism fires back up it should...

_Beep._

Do that.

The next one won't be for awhile.

Bruce moves over to the needles with the platelets. They will be injected at varying points of the body at varying times.

He picks up the first one with the really long needle, finds the space between the ribs and inserts the needle right into Rogers' heart. He injects the platelets.

_Beep._

Over the course of the next several plus minutes Bruce injects more platelets around the body as the heartbeats get closer and closer together.

The last injection goes in.

He looks at the heart monitor, brainwave monitor and everything else they have attached. They are approaching the norms.

Bruce starts to feel elation...

Rogers' body starts to spasm.

"Hold him down!" Bruce orders as he and his assistants attempt to restrain the body having a fit. The heart rate spikes dangerously.

Bruce reaches for the drugs to try and level out the arrhythmia. He slams the needle in and injects the drugs.

The heart rate starts to stabilise...and then goes flat line.

"He's in cardiac arrest. Get the defibrillator!" Bruce orders, his own heart-rate accelerating, adrenaline pumping, the Hulk's voice gets louder, he ignores it and pushes on.

One the assistants hands Bruce the paddles. "Clear!" he orders and delivers the shock. Nothing.

"Increase the charge!" Bruce orders. "Clear!"

Another shock. Nothing.

"Increase again!"

Another shock. Nothing.

"Come on!" Bruce pleads. He shocks Rogers again and again.

"Dr Banner. It's not working," one his assistants says and tries to place a hand on Bruce's shoulder.

Bruce throws him across the room. "I'm in charge here! I'll decide when it's over. Increase the charge!" he yells. He will not fail. All the months of work. All his efforts at achieving something positive instead of all the destruction he has caused...No! He will not fail! He won't!

Fury rises to his feet at the sight of Banner losing his temper. "Banner!" he yells.

Bruce spins round and you can see the visible green glow of his eyes.

The Hulk.

Fury activates his communicator. "Agent Coulson. Angry Man procedures are in effect."

"Understood," comes the reply.

The door is burst down. Several heavily armed men storm in.

Bruce's skin is starting to turn green and he is visibly increasing in size.

The men don't hesitate and shoot several tranquilliser darts into Banner. Special ones laced with gamma radiation suppressors.

It works. There comes a point where they don't but fortunately they were in time. Banner shrinks back, his skin returns to normal and he collapses to the floor unconscious.

Through the armed men another man walks in, in a smart suit with a slightly receding hairline.

"Coulson! Get him out of there! Maximum restraints!" Fury orders what to do with Banner.

Agent Phil Coulson nods and Banner is picked up, put in the restraints and dragged away. Coulson pauses and looks sadly at the now seemingly deceased form of Captain America.

Fury leans against the window and lowers his head. '_Damn,' _is putting it mildly. He can feel the accusing eyes on him from his VIP guests. For the moment he doesn't care.

They had failed.

Captain America was dead.

…

…

…

_Beep._

…

…

_Beep._

…

_Beep_

…

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

* * *

_Author's Note: Oh look Cap isn't quite as dead as he seemed. Never give up until you count the beeps. Definitely won't be the last we see of Andrea. Having had a chance to reflect on her character it's shame we never got to see more of her. I know in the comics Andrea's character was called Acrata but you know since she shared many Batman-esque qualities(in fact she was Batman. The show didn't have the rights to use the character so Andrea was the substitute) on the show why not have Clark suggest a few Bat-family related names first off the bat. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Christmas. Yay!...and Rogue may have broken up with Clark but he has one last effect upon her._


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

**At the Institute...**

When they had finally gotten back to Bayville yesterday the Kent family were only just in time to say their farewells. Rogue, Logan, Ororo, Domino and Evan were off to Ororo's sister Vivian's for Christmas.

They all had laughed themselves stupid at the image of Logan attending a family Christmas dinner. Ah to be a fly on the wall at that one.

Jean and Scott had left for her parents. That brought a few funny images too of Scott having to explain where he and Jean are in their relationship. Scott was certain Jean's father was going to stuff and mount him on the wall for, um, stealing Jean's innocence. Lets phrase it that way.

It all meant that this Christmas morning the mansion was actually emptier than last year. It was just the Professor, Beast, Wanda, Clark, Claire, Jonathan and Martha this year. Charles was experiencing mixed emotions about it. Sad to see less people here but happy that this was part of them growing up.

At breakfast that morning Clark walks into the kitchen, phone glued to his ear. "Uh huh...That's good news, Chlo...as if the fact your father's home...although you should feel some guilt for lumbering him with Lois' company...of course I'm funny. I'm shocked you could think otherwise...well I'll let you go spend time with your family. Merry Christmas, Chlo."

Clark ends the call and finds several pairs of eyes upon him. "That was Chloe," he explains.

"No shit," Claire dead-pans.

"It's about Snake. They matched his gun to the bullet that killed Andrea's mother," Clark relays what Chloe had gotten from her mole in the Metropolis PD.

"That's excellent news, Clark," the Professor greets it. They had told him of what had happened in Metropolis and of the poor girl whose anger drove her to nearly do something terrible. At least now Andrea can have whatever comfort it provides the fact her mother's killer will face Justice.

"Yeah. It is," Clark says, allowing himself a tiny smile of triumph about it.

Claire interprets the smile to mean something else. She leans over to Wanda to whisper in her ear. "He's probably daydreaming about her...again."

"I heard that!" Clark snaps.

Claire just grins her shit eating one at him while she feeds Lockheed who is perched on her shoulder.

Wanda looks between Claire and Clark. It's not the first time Claire had mentioned that Clark had seemingly taken a liking to this Andrea since the two siblings had returned from Metropolis. He denies it...sort of. Wanda isn't sure what to think. One thankful part of being at Dr Strange's is that she got to avoid being caught in the middle of Clark and Rogue's implosion.

Thing is what does Wanda know about relationships. Is 2 weeks long enough before you move on? Is there a time limit for these things? She's heard others talk about rebounds. Is that what it is?

Thinking about these things makes Wanda sad and angry. Sad she has never known the feelings involved in being with someone and angry at the person responsible for her being denied these things.

Clark sits down at the table and glares at his sister. Seriously he wishes she would drop this. Ok so Andrea was...he admits there was a connection...they had a moment. It doesn't mean he's ready to jump into another relationship. He's pretty certain he's not. He has too much else to do to find a new balance for his life. "Merry Christmas," Clark wishes everyone present.

It starts a whole series of Christmas greetings between everyone.

Hank sips on his coffee also thinking about this Andrea...although not for the reasons Clark was obviously. He was more interested in the scientific puzzle of how this heart transplant gave her her powers...and it was a lot of power. To punch Clark through a wall is no mean feat.

Kryptonite was a puzzle. Hank knew how it altered a gene but hadn't worked out the key as in why does someone, like Claire, get fire powers, or Haze become a teleporter or Andrea become superstrong? What was it that triggered the onset of specific abilities?

"So Hank," Jonathan speaks up. "You're not seeing Ms Tilby today?" he inquires about Hank's girlfriend, the tv investigative reporter Trish Tilby.

"Alas, sadly not. She spends it with her family," Hank reports and you can hear his sadness about it. Since they both lead busy lives they don't see each other as much as Hank would like.

Martha was chewing on her breakfast. In 5 minutes she was kicking the lot of them out of here so she could start on Christmas dinner...and Claire better make sure Lockheed doesn't sneak back in to steal anything or she swears Kitty will just have to get a new pet.

Martha wonders how everyone else's mornings are going.

* * *

**Daniels Residence, New York...**

Ororo was down in the kitchen helping her sister start Christmas dinner. These things always took massive preparation time...especially when you have so many mouths to feed.

So far it had all gone pretty well...as these things go when families are brought together for the first time. Ororo must confess to having had a few concerns about having Logan, Rogue and Domino here...more Domino than anyone else. As much as she likes the monochrome mutant Domino could be a lot of trouble. However it was going ok. Even Logan was behaving and Rogue was...actually being a tad more open and friendly. Ororo would say that is a lingering effect of Clark upon her since he did a lot to pull Rogue out of her shell. It also probably helps that she can now control her powers and doesn't feel the need to have to pull away from people.

"Soooo," Vivian says.

Ororo looks at her sister. Vivian was in her early forties, around Ororo's height and build, with the same chocolate complexion, mid-length brown hair, and brown eyes. She also had this look Ororo knew and dreaded. It was the interrogation expression. Ororo had endured it for years. "What?"

"That's Logan, huh?" Vivian asks about him, with a certain sly grin. She and Ororo had never had a chance to be alone last night to discuss her sister's new boyfriend.

"Yes," Ororo keeps her answer simple so as to not leave an opening for her sister to exploit.

"Interesting," Vivian comments.

"What does that mean?"

"No. I mean I can see the rugged appeal. It is just...he isn't like any of the others now is he?"

Ororo's eyebrows quirk. She must admit Logan was not like the others. Her other previous boyfriends she knew Vivian was meaning. "I suppose he is not."

"I wasn't meaning that as a bad thing, Ro," Vivian explains herself. "In fact considering how spectacularly badly all those others ended it is probably a good thing."

"Well thank you for that honestly sympathetic view of my past failures, Vivian," Ororo huffs.

"Oh don't take it so seriously," Vivian tells her sister. Honestly one of these days her sister has to get off this regal attitude she has. "Actually speaking of serious, how _serious_ are you two?" she asks suggestively.

Ororo rolls her eyes. "Really, Vivian," she complains.

"Hey, I want to be an aunt some day, sue me."

Ororo knows Vivian does truly care about her happiness. "Viv, I not only invited him here but his whole family. Surely that tells you something."

A smile starts to form on Vivian's face. "Yes. It does."

* * *

**Pryde residence, Deerfield, Illinois...**

Kitty was happy to be home this Christmas morning. Ok technically she doesn't celebrate Christmas but she certainly gets in the spirit. Only her spirits were a little flatter than normal. The reason had to be the one thing that is heavy on her mind.

She misses Peter.

She misses his jokes, his wit, his warmth, that messy brown hair of his she loves to ruffle. Kitty lets out a loud lovelorn sigh and just lies back on her bed. She cuddles a toy purple dragon she has had since she was little. Yes the irony is not lost on her that she now has an actual purple dragon as a pet. She misses Lockheed too.

Just then her phone rings and she rolls over and grabs it off her bedside table. "Hello!"

"Hey," the soft voice says. "Merry Christmas...or I should be saying Hanukkah shouldn't I? D'oh! The one thing I should know about you and I mess it up. Seriously I'm stupid..."

"Pete!" Kitty snaps, making her boyfriend stop his babble. "I'm missing you too," she says sincerely.

"You are?" he asks in surprise considering his track record with girls. Peter half-thinks that getting away from him for a few days will make Kitty see how she shouldn't be with him.

"I am," Kitty assures him.

"Is that sad?"

"I was going to go with more like pathetic. It's only been a few days and..."

Peter cuts Kitty off this time. "Kitty in no way are you ever pathetic," he assures her. "You're the brightest, kindest person I know...and the most beautiful," he finds the courage to tell her.

Kitty's cheeks glow rosy but a smile grows on her face. She knows Peter wouldn't say that unless he truly meant it. "Well you're the most handsome guy I know. Tied 1st with Lockheed," she says as her lips curl up into a teasing smile.

"Oh I'm tied with the dragon. Sadly I have to say that is an improvement on my record up to this point."

Kitty giggles. "So how's your Christmas going? You and your aunt having a good time?" she asks him.

As Peter talks about his morning so far, Kitty rolls on to her stomach and listens intently.

Outside her room she is unaware of her parents watching her. They were just passing really.

"I think she's serious on this one," Kitty's mother, Rebecca, says to her husband, Carmen, in reflection of the tone and expressions of her daughter and of the way she has not stopped singing this Peter's praises since she got home. In fact whenever she talks about him Kitty's face bursts out into this enormous smile like he is the one person in the world that makes her truly happy.

Carmen sighs. It's never easy to stop thinking of her as his little girl. "Well I suppose anyone is an improvement on Lance Alvers," he grudgingly accepts his daughter is at the age she dates boys.

Rebecca smile amused at his attitude. "You have to let her grow up some day."

"I know. I know," he accepts. "However if she really is serious about this one then we'll be going to New York and I'll be having words with this Peter Parker," Carmen promises.

* * *

**Wagner Residence, Germany...**

Due to the time difference first thing in the morning in America is almost time to sit down and have Christmas dinner for Kurt and his family. Kurt was in fact just helping his mother set the table.

Sabine Wagner was a bit shorter than Kurt, in her late forties, her kindly face just a tiny bit wrinkled, her brown hair held back by a kerchief, her light eyes a light brown, clad in a simple dress. It had not escaped her attention that her son kept looking at the clock every 5 minutes. "Kurti," she address him using her nickname for him.

"Yes, Mutter?" Kurt queries.

"Why don't you just go phone that girl," she says in her native German, knowing what is on her son's mind. Of course she knows. A mother knows these things.

If you could see Kurt blush his face would be beetroot red right now. "I...I uh don't want it to be too early," he returns in German. "The time difference," he explains it off.

Sabine gives her soon a look. The way he talked about Amanda it was clear her son cared deeply for this girl. "Kurt, go," his mother orders him.

"Yes, Mutter. Thank you," Kurt says as he hurries off, not teleporting for once.

"And don't forget to phone your sister!" Sabine shouts after him. Kurt had told them all about Rogue. It was a shock, yes, but family is family. One of these days her and her husband, Johann, must find the time and means to meet both Rogue and Amanda.

"Yes, Mutter!" Kurt shouts back in acknowledgement. He heads outside where he can get a better signal. His parents house were in quite a remote place. It had been necessary due to his appearance. He passes his father on the way, giving him a wave.

Kurt vanishes in his usual puff of blue smoke at this point to reappear on a nearby hill and dials the number. His tail fidgets nervously as he waits for an answer.

"Hello! Sefton Residence. Amanda speaking."

"Hello Liebe."

"Kurt!" Amanda voice breaks out into joy at hearing him.

"Is zhis a bad time?" he inquires.

"Of course not," Amanda reassures him. "It's never a bad time for you, you know that," she says with deep emotion for the boy she loves.

Kurt smiles at hearing that. "Vell Merry Christmas!" he sends his greetings.

"Merry Christmas to you too. I...wow I just remembered there's a time difference isn't there?"

"Ja."

"You must be what? Away to have dinner?"

"Shortly, Ja."

Amanda giggles at her own forgetfulness. "So tell me. What have you been up to?" she asks, eager to know every detail of her boyfriend's day.

Kurt then proceeds to tell her all about his day so far, the smile of talking to his girlfriend never leaving his lips.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

It was slightly later that morning and they were all gathered in the lounge by the Christmas tree handing out presents. Lockheed was curled up on the rug next to the fire.

Wanda was feeling pretty overwhelmed actually. She can't recall the last time she did this. All those years in the..._place_ had pretty much obscured her earlier memories with her family before her mother died and her father went on this megalomaniac crusade of his.

The Professor had gotten what is his annual gift of a few framed photographs of the students. Separate ones of the X-Men and the New Mutants plus one of all of them together. It would go, as usual, in pride of place, on the wall in his study.

Clark got the usual joke present of a new alarm clock from his parents due to his tendency to crush them...although he did actually crush it a few days ago so he needed a new one.

On joke themes Wanda was giving Clark an arched look as she opened her present to find it was a child's magic set. You could see the smirk threatening to break out on his face.

"Look," Clark says as he leans over. "Even comes with a top hat," he points out as he lifts it off the floor and places it on top of Wanda's head. Wanda taps the rim upward to move it out of her eyes. She glares at Clark who is smiling goofily.

That does it for Claire who bursts into a fit of laughter at not only how Wanda looks but the expression on Wanda's face. "Maybe you should take it on the road," she suggests between fits of laughter. "Wanda Maximoff, Magician Extraordinaire!"

Everyone present can't help a few snorts of laughter.

"I'm a witch. Not a magician," Wanda points out.

"Well I did think about that but I thought getting you a broomstick was laying it a bit thick," Clark says, barley stopping himself dissolving into his own laughing fit.

"Oh my god can you do that wiggling your nose thing they did on Bewitched!" Claire wants to know.

"No!" Wanda insists. "It doesn't work like that."

"And there is no such thing as a witch act," Clark points out to his sister.

"That's true," Claire concedes. "Yeah. If you want to make money stick with the magician look," she advises.

Wanda folds her arms across her chest and huffs at the two of them.

Martha gently prods her husband. "Notice how she hasn't taken the hat off," she says, trying to point out something.

Jonathan looks at Wanda and can see that under all the stern huffiness she is actually fighting to hold back a smile. She's actually enjoying this...perhaps because it is a gift from people that are as close to family for her.

More seriously they had gotten her stuff on Wicca. Books, candles, a set of Chakra stones and so on. They all knew Wanda had taken a keen interest in it since she had gone to Dr Strange's.

Claire lifts her present up to eye-level. It was awful...thin. She knows she shouldn't complain. This is her first Christmas with her family but...this is her first Christmas with her family!

She opens it up and her brow furrows in confusion. It is several documents and an ID. "Uh, anyone care to explain?"

"I will if I may," Charles volunteers himself with a look at Martha and Jonathan who permit him to continue. "Claire when you first came to us it was to hide from Lionel Luthor."

"Yeah," Claire says cautiously.

"That being the case we never put much effort into legally reasserting your identity. Then after Lionel's defeat you..." Charles pauses while trying to find an appropriate word.

"Took a sabbatical," Clark offers.

"Thank you, Clark," Charles says. "Took a sabbatical and as far as I know Emma never bothered either...which was probably beneficial to her goals."

"I'm not following."

"Since your return we, your parents and I, have set about establishing your legal status."

"Congratulations. You're dead!" Clark mock cheers in false celebration.

"Huh?" Claire says.

"As far as any authority is concerned you vanished for a period of over 7 years. At that point the state declares you legally dead," Charles explains to her.

"Wow. I never knew I was looking _that_ pale," Claire jokes.

Wanda chuckles. That was pretty good.

"Anyway since your return we have been bringing you back from the dead," Charles tells her.

"That is what all those documents are," Martha explains. "They are everything you need to be a United States Citizen."

"Because of certain issues involving your father and how you came into existence we did have to have Kitty hack a few databases to make it possible," Charles admits bending the rules a bit.

"That's alright," Claire says, a little dumbstruck by all this. She had never given it much thought before now. She looks at her new birth certificate which lists Martha Clark as her mother to fit the story they had conjured to explain her. "The father's blank?" she queries.

"Yes," Martha confirms. "If you want to put Sebastian's name there you can," she tells her daughter. It is not something she is comfortable with but it is the truth. In the end they all decided it was up to Claire.

"Can't you just put it as like unknown or something?" Claire asks, not really wishing to be associated with her father. After all Clark was right. He hadn't taken one jot of interest in her after the meteor shower when he could have easily found her if he had wanted to.

"Yes, you can," Hank confirms.

"Can Shaw challenge that? Or sue for custody?" Wanda wonders.

"In theory, yes," Charles has to concede.

"In theory?" Claire asks with concern in her eyes that her father might try and come and get her.

"Time is not on his side. You're 18 in April. You'll technically be an adult and free to choose however you wish to live your life then. Even if he tries it I can have my lawyers delay him until April," Charles informs them all.

Claire feels a little easier now

"There's also some fake adoption papers in there listing your surrogate parents," Martha informs her daughter. It was all part of the story they had thought up about Martha giving Claire up when she was a baby. It was quite a good story actually. "I know you may not remember much about them but they were a part of your life so we wished to recognise that."

"Thank you," Claire says, truly grateful for all of this.

"I wouldn't say thank you," Clark says. "Don't you realise what this means?"

By her expression Claire clearly doesn't.

"Now you exist that means you can go to school."

Claire's face drains of colour. "Oh no."

"Oh yes," Clark confirms with a little sadistic glee at his sister having to face the same torment of Kelly's tyrannical rule as they all do.

"Mom?" Claire queries, hoping beyond hope that that is not true.

"Sorry, honey," Martha apologises unable to deny that is true. "You'll be starting in the New Year."

Claire's response is her typical one worded one. "Fuck!"

* * *

A short time later Clark had vanished to run an 'errand' whatever that means. Hank was catching up with his girlfriend over the phone and the Professor was doing the same really.

"Ugh, I'm never agreeing to let any of them cook again," Lilandra complains to Charles as in Smallville she surveys the disaster zone that is her kitchen. To make sure enough was cooked for the whole community meant cooking a lot so she obviously chose some helpers...only they weren't helping a great deal.

Charles can't help a light laugh as he imagines the scene. "You have my sympathies."

"And one day I'll get more than that," she says suggestively as she flirts over the phone.

"Something to look forward to."

"You better believe that."

"I do," Charles says in soft sincerity.

Lilandra blushes slightly before a series of voices can be heard shouting over each other.

"Hey! Lilandra! You need to stop flirting with your boyfriend! Abbey's burning the soup!"

"I am not! Byron is!"

"Oh ho! Wait! What?! I'm not even in the kitchen! I thought Jordan was handling the soup!"

"No! I'm handling the desserts!"

"Then who is handling the soup?!"

"I dunno! The twins?!"

"I'm frying their braincells. I swear," Lilandra mutters. "I have to go," she says apologetically.

"I understand," Charles says although sad about it. "I hope your house survives. Have a happy Christmas, Lilandra."

"You too Charles...oh for pity's sake! Tommy stop that! You'll overload the microwave!"

That is where the phone call ends. He thought his students were bad. Charles pities Lilandra.

* * *

**Bayville Sewers...**

Down in the sewers lived the outcasts even amongst mutantkind. They were known as the Morlocks. Few knew of their existence. That was the way they preferred it.

Ray Crisp aka Berserker was once again spending time with those that had taken him in after his parents kicked him out. Callisto, the female leader of the Morlocks, had been her usual _charming_ self. She could be very cold and harsh but she did care to protect those who she had taken under her care.

Next to Ray stood a young man, of average height, though somewhat frail, with pale skin, dark eyes, and a bald head, clad in tattered brown pants and a brown t-shirt. His name is Caliban. Beyond his physical appearance his mutation allowed him to sense and track other mutants.

Suddenly Ray notices a shadow pass over Caliban's eyes and he makes a noise of discomfort. "Cal?" Ray queries using a nickname he has.

"It's him," Caliban says somewhat mysteriously.

"Him? Him, who?" Ray asks.

"The blinding light," Caliban replies raising a steadying hand to his head.

Another mutant, a tall, lean man, in his mid fifties hears this. His hair was fairly long, and grey, with a short white goatee beard. His eyes were a bright green, and he wore a slightly tattered, black, long-sleeved priestly robe, with a white collar, and a simple wooden cross about his neck. He was called Healer...which is a pretty self-explanatory name for what his power is. "Callisto!" he calls out.

In quick time a fairly attractive young woman, tall and lean, with fairly dark skin, and fairly long ebony hair, and one brown eye, the other eye covered by a black eye-patch, clad in tattered black pants and an olive tank-top appears. This is Callisto, leader of the Morlocks. She use to have a mutant power only she lost it the same day she lost her eye. It was why she lived down here, away from those responsible for her injury. "Yes, Healer?" she inquires.

"It's _him."_

Callisto growls. "I told him to stop doing this," she mutters angrily under her breath. She then stomps toward the exit of the Morlocks home.

Curious, Ray follows her. Once there he finds piled up outside the lair food, clothes and what look like wrapped presents.

"I am going to kill him," Callisto swears.

"Kill wh..." Ray is about to ask but stops when he sees the label on one of the presents. Instead of a signature there is a mark. A small red S within a shield. "Superman?" he queries out-loud. In his head he is asking how the hell does Clark know about the Morlocks.

Callisto shakes her head. "It started months ago. He ran into Lucid who was topside foraging and shortly afterwards he started making these food drops. You know the stuff supermarkets throw away for being 'out of date'."

"Why are you complaining about that?" Ray wonders. It seems like...just the sort of thing Clark would do. And also it's food. It's not like this place is the lap of luxury now is it?

"We don't need anyone's help Ray. You know that!" Callisto snaps.

And now Ray gets why Clark didn't stick around. Callisto's pride would never allow her to accept charity so he just drops it off and leaves it.

Just then they are joined by was a young girl, around 8 or 9, with long brown hair, green eyes, and light skin, with fairly large hands – ___much _too large for a child her age. She was wearing a simple pink t-shirt and a pair of dirty blue jean-overalls. Her name is Torpid and over her hands she wore thick gloves because her skin produces a toxin that can paralyse any person instantly with a touch. A slightly more prolonged contact will render them unconscious. Torpid's eyes light up at seeing the presents. She didn't speak. She never spoke. Not one word since the day Callisto found her. Physically there is no impediment. It's for whatever psychological reasons that prevent her speaking. Callisto had had many a dark thought about what had transpired to the poor girl that prevents her speaking.

Torpid goes up to the pile and points at the presents.

Callisto looks down at the girl's face, happy and excited and expectant and knows she is beat. She looks through the pile and finds one with Torpid's name upon it. She bends down and hands it over. "Here you are, honey."

Torpid smiles and with Callisto's help the shiny paper is soon ripped off to reveal a ragdoll. Torpid hugs it to herself tightly as if she has just received the most precious thing in the world. Callisto can't help but smile at seeing the reaction on the little girl's face. They have so little and any sort of joy...she lets out a breath. He always does this. Superman. One minute she wants to throttle him, the next she wants to hug him and thank him. He's a pain in the butt...but one it looks like she is just going to have to learn to live with.

"Well?" Callisto asks Ray. "Just don't stand there. If you're here make yourself useful and help get this inside," she orders him.

Ray salutes with a cheeky grin.

Callisto narrows her one good eye at him.

Ray then gets to work but makes a mental note to talk to Clark about this when he gets back to the mansion.

* * *

**Lyon, France...**

For Marie Ange-Colbert Christmas dinner had come and gone. She in her room alone. Not surprising. Her parents had never been the most hands on of people. Before she ended up at the Academy of Tomorrow she had been sent to a convent school.

Yeah trying be a gay person in one of those.

Not fun. She had had to hide her sexuality for years. Now she was home she had had to return to hiding it. Oh her parents knew. It was just not for her to be too overt about it.

Marie sits on her bed laying out her Tarot cards. In fact this deck she is using was her grandmother's who she is named after. It was her grandmother who taught her how to use the cards.

Divining her own future has always been next to impossible for her so she tries to expand it to just more general issues where she happens to be present. Like the X-Men's future...or in this case her former teammates', the Hellions, future. She knew they would meet again soon and she was trying to clear up exactly when if she could.

"Hmm," she ponders what she sees. "The child of light will rally the unturned and defeat the ghoul. Restoration will come."

Tarot turns another card. "All except the arrogant girl whose path of Penance has much distance yet to travel."

Marie turns another card over. "The dark ruler from over the seas comes to restore order."

Another card. "Betrayal."

Another card. "Deception."

Another card. "Totally not helping," Marie complains because it is now showing her nothing. She saw betrayal and deception but didn't see whose or what.

It's getting worse. Her inability to see. The bursts of what she can see are getting shorter and shorter. It's that darkness obscuring her. What is it?

Marie sighs and muses what it all means. Her thinking gets interrupted by her phone ringing. "Bonjour!" she answers it.

"Marie?" the tentative sounding voice queries.

"Claire!" Marie cries happily as she bursts into a big smile at hearing her girlfriend's voice. "Merry Christmas!"

"To you too." There is a loud sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't phone earlier," Claire apologises.

"You're phoning now. That's what matters," Marie says, looking on the positive as she always does.

"You were right, by the way, about what I faced on my trip," Claire informs her. "It wasn't an easy choice."

"But you made the right one," Marie asserts.

"Yeah but I guess you knew that."

"Nope. I assumed it."

"Excuse me? But you said..."

"I said I trusted you to make the right one. I never said I saw you make it," Marie points out.

"I...you really never knew?" Claire asks, totally surprised by that.

"I believed in you. That's what matters," Marie says seriously.

"Why?" Claire asks. "Why do you believe in me? You don't know me."

"Not completely, no," Marie concedes. "But I saw enough. You're a protector. It's your nature. Despite all your anger and profanity you can't help yourself but to protect people. Besides I wasn't going to doubt someone with your hot lips."

"You're making fun of me."

"Well maybe a little. Although your kisses are a modern wonder of the world."

"That's true," Claire jokes.

Marie giggles in happiness.

"Why are you with me?" Claire asks. "I know over the phone isn't the best way to ask this but I need to know."

"There's no simple answer to that. People get together for lots of reasons. I was instantly attracted to you the moment I saw you."

"You were?"

"Yep."

"Well I did have a thing for your accent right away," Claire confesses.

"C'est mon arme secrète." It's my secret weapon.

Claire groans. "Don't do that to me when I can't touch you," she complains because it just drives her wild.

Marie's face contemplates all the fun she can have with that notion.

"You haven't answered my question. Why?"

"Because I trust you to protect my heart," Marie says, her voice soft and loving.

"Yeah but I'm rude, ill-tempered..."

"Funny, loving, caring, even if you don't show it. At Frost's not once were you ever really cruel to me. Can't say that about most of the others...except Dust."

"She never spoke," Claire points out.

"I know. I feel guilty we left her there."

"We'll pick her up next time."

"My point about you Claire, is that I know I can be peppy and some people find that annoying yet you hanged out with me anyway and I got to see the real you and the more I saw the more I fell for it."

"Clark told me what you said," Claire tells her.

"I fell for you hard," Marie speaks the truth, her tone conveying her deep emotions.

There is a silence for awhile before Claire speaks up, her voice softer and more emotionally raw than Marie has ever heard it before. "Marie?"

"Yeah?"

"I think...I...I love you too." Claire just decided for once to let her heart speak, like Father Mulcahy said for her to listen to it and that is what has come out of it.

A tear of happiness trickles down Marie's cheek. "When I get back you can show me."

"Every day," Claire promises.

* * *

**Guthrie Farm, Kentucky...**

The Guthrie clan were just beginning to gather around the table for Christmas dinner. Tabby had been so, so nervous at first about being here but Sam's mother had quickly put her at ease.

It was so different to her own family. Her thieving father and her drunk mother who barely ever acted like her parents. In the Guthrie household you could see how close they all were.

Course just being on a farm was strange for Tabby. She is a city girl. Never thought much about the countryside.

She got to ride a horse for the first time in her life...and fell off several time but Sam was there by her side all the time. Then she finally got to live up to the saying of making-out in the hay. Tabby can't help but smile at the memory...and afterwards of Sam's embarrassment when his mother pulled a few loose bits of straw from their hair and it became obvious what they had been up to.

Sam's mother had been really cool about it actually. Making a comment that a girl with spirit is what a Guthrie man needs to kick him up the pants now and again.

The scene around the dining table was very reminiscent of the scene around the kitchen table at the Institute. No wonder Sam always managed to look so calm through it all. He has been dealing with it for a lot of his life.

At the moment Paige's sisters were teasing her again over Jamie's gift and how that showed he must be her boyfriend which Paige was protesting...a little too much if you ask Tabby.

Also at the moment Sam's mother, Lucinda, was trying to dish out the food while Sam's father, Thomas, was fussing over her.

Lucinda slaps her husband's hand away. "Will ya stop fussin over meh lahke ah'm an invalid, Tommy," she complains.

"Ah'm not. Ah'm fussin over mah wife who is a week overdue," Thomas retorts.

Lucinda rolls her eyes. Yes she was uncomfortable to say the least but sitting around waiting for this baby to pop wasn't making her any more comfortable. "Ah keep tellin y'all ah'm fiiinnneee!" her voice suddenly becomes high-pitched.

"Lucinda?!" Thomas says with instant concern.

Lucinda takes a few moments to breathe in a few deeps lungfuls. "Mah waters just broke."

Thomas looks down and sees the visual evidence of how that is true. "Samuel! Get your mother's bag. It's time."

"Time?" Sam queries before his father's look lets him get it. "OH! Time!" he says as he leaps to his feet and runs upstairs to get the pre-packed bag for the hospital. He isn't panicking. This isn't his first Guthrie birth. It's his 7th.

"Uh, is there anything I can do to help?" Tabby finds herself volunteering.

"Just stay here and help Sammy look after the kids," Thomas tells her.

Tabby nods stupidly, not sure what else to do. She has never been around someone away to give birth.

Sam soon returns and he helps his father get his mother into the truck. The hospital is a good long trip from here but they always seem to manage somehow.

Sam walks back into the kitchen.

"Sooo," Paige starts. "10 bucks on it's a girl!" she declares the bet.

"You're on," Jay takes up the bet. "And it's gonna be a boy!"

"Girl!" Melody insists.

"Boy!" Jeb says.

"Girl!"

"Boy!"

At this point who is saying what has completely broken down as the siblings squabble over whether it will be a girl or boy.

Sam pinches the bridge of his nose. "Here we go," he mutters. It's the same every single time.

Tabby puts her arm around his waist which prompts a smile from him.

Sam puts an arm around her shoulder. "Welcome ta mah life," he grouses moodily as his brothers and sisters continue to argue it out with Paige being the worst naturally.

Tabby giggles a little. If this is his life it wasn't so bad. In fact she thinks she could fit into it quite well.

* * *

**Daniels Residence, New York...**

Ororo can't quite remember how she was talked into this. They had had a very pleasant dinner. Logan had even managed to strike up a sports related conversation with her brother-in-law Carl over which was superior; American or Canadian rules Football. For Logan that counts as bonding.

Anyway after dinner...it was Domino. Of course it was Domino. She had suggested a snowball fight and to make sure the teams were even Ororo had been talked into it. It was that classic struggle of the sexes; girls vs boys. Storm, Domino and Rogue on one team against Carl, Evan and Logan with Vivian looking on as a sort of judge/amused spectator.

Well right now Ororo was engaged in a heated snowball fight and she would let the Goddess damn her before she let those men win.

Right now she and Domino were drawing fire while Rogue tried to outflank their opponents.

Unfortunately that doesn't work and Rogue gets a triple enforced onslaught and she stumbles back...out onto the road...as a car drives by! "Rogue!" Ororo calls out in panic.

Rogue only barely has enough awareness to throw her arm over her closed eyes and brace herself for the impact. She hears a crunching sound but oddly there is no pain. Maybe the guy swerved in time however unlikely that had seemed.

Rogue cautiously lowers her arms and opens her eyes. She sees Vivian, Storm, Logan, Evan, Domino and Carl all look at her their mouths agape. "What?" she asks, confused by their expressions aimed in her direction.

Domino points and Rogue looks to her left and down. The car didn't miss her. The car hit her...and has completely crumpled around her body. Rogue didn't even feel it.

Logan and Carl rush over to check both on Rogue and on the driver.

"Viv I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this Christmas a little short," Ororo regretfully tells her sister.

Vivian nods dumbly.

"Ya alright kid?" Logan asks his daughter. She looks alright but he has to know for certain.

Rogue swallows hard but nods an affirmative. It had been such a nice day too. It had been such a normal day. She had enjoyed it more than she thought she would. She even spent some time talking on the phone with Kurt. This had been the kind of day you rarely get when you're a mutant. Now all Rogue has is one simple(or possibly not so simple) question. What is happening to her now?!

* * *

_Author's Note: Yeah so Andrea can get the comfort of knowing her mother's killer is going to jail. I think I really will have Peter meet Kitty's parents at some point. It occurred to me, given the story I had so far constructed for Claire's past, that legally she probably had stopped existing and that needed addressed...and now she can go enjoy school like every other teenager. Clark knowing about the Morlocks...well it was secrets that broke him and Rogue up. Marie's tarot readings; Basically Ali saving the day and the Hellions from Marius because Ali's awesome! So that's the 8th Guthrie sibling on the way. And finally what have I done to Rogue...or more accurately what have I done to that poor driver's insurance premiums? That's going to some claim. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Rogue returns to the mansion as they try and get to the bottom of what is happened to her now and we catch up with a few other people's Christmases._


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**At Magneto's base...**

So it was all pretty much as Lorna had hoped. Herself sitting round a table with her family having a Christmas dinner. Ok technically she was Jewish but come on. It's Christmas!

So here she was with her father and her brother and her...sort of adopted cousin or that was how Pietro explained Valerie's presence...which was fine. It showed a good side to her father. Of course Wanda wasn't here but Lorna looked on the positive. She had 365 days to work on getting the family...her whole family back together for next year.

Magneto had to admit this was something he had missed. It was strange to start picking up the pieces of a family life he had almost accepted he had lost.

"So sis, how are things?" Pietro asks. "Found anyone...special yet?" he wonders because then he can go all big brother on them.

Magneto frowns at his son's insinuations.

Lorna's cheeks burn. "No. In fact people are sort of standoffish of me."

"That is something not to be rushed," Magneto advises his daughter. He finds he doesn't find the idea of his youngest daughter dating very appealing. Pietro he knows will flirt with anything.

"What about you Val?"

"Me?" Valerie chokes. "Um no. When would I find the time? I've been down in the Savage Land with you."

"Yeah that's not conducive to an active night-life," Pietro complains.

Magneto rolls his eyes. "When we set up our own nation, Pietro, you will be free to find that...significant other you seek to your heart's content."

Pietro supposed that was true...and as Magneto's son surely that would give him the extra prestige to attract the honeys. For once he could see the benefit of being the son of Magneto.

"I have made a friend," Lorna mentions.

"That so?" Magneto inquires with a look at his daughter.

Lorna nods. "Peter."

"Who?" Pietro wonders.

"Colossus," Lorna clarifies. "He's been...really nice to me."

Magneto supposed he couldn't begrudge his daughter a friend...but he will have words with the Russian boy to make sure he isn't revealing secrets Magneto requires to be kept secret and that will include a reminder to Pietro about how his sister's continued well-being is dependant on his loyalty.

"So Lorna," Valerie speaks to the green-haired girl. "How are you doing with your powers?"

"Good. It's going good. Right dad? I'm doing ok?"

"You are doing excellently," Magneto praises her.

"Good enough to go on a mission, perhaps?" Lorna sneaks the question in.

Magneto silently sighs. Lorna has been bugging him about helping more continually. "A little more time to get your control down," he puts off making that choice.

"Wuss," Pietro snarks under his breath at his father's obvious attempt to avoid making the decision.

"Have you thought up a codename?" Valerie wonders.

"Oh yes!" Lorna says, her eyes widening. "I was thinking on that. Remember when we were discussing magnetic polarity, dad?"

Magneto nods. So as to be able to fully utilise her powers he has been teaching her the basic physics of magnetism.

"Well I don't why but the word polarity stuck in my mind and...ok long story short I came up with Polaris. What do you think?" she seeks her family's approval.

"I like it!" Val decrees chirplily.

"It's alright I suppose," Pietro says with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Lorna waits for her father's reaction.

Magneto spends what seems like a great amount of time pondering it before speaking. "A most appropriate name, Lorna," he gives his approval.

Lorna beams from ear to ear. "Polaris it is then!"

* * *

Elsewhere in the base Gambit heads for his quarters. He has been thinking a lot about what Live Wire said before she left about what he is doing here.

What is he doing here?

So Magneto helped him out?

Surely he's repaid that debt by now.

This...this is not what he wants from his life...except Magneto doesn't take kindly to traitors.

_'Mert, Remy. What have you got yourself trapped into now?' _he mentally berates himself. He should have known better.

He opens the door and pauses. Lying on his bed in a rather seductive pose is Alicia, dressed in a light green silken robe that is clinging to her curves.

"Hi Remy!" Alicia coos in a husky tone. She lifts a bow and places it in her hair. "Ready to unwrap your present?"

_'Maybe being here ain't so bad after all,' _Remy decides as he smiles that grin of his that reduces women everywhere to quivering wrecks, slides the door shut behind him and proceeds to _unwrap _his present.

* * *

**Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...**

Roberto was walking the famous beach of Rio. To him this was home. This is where he grew up. He was simply walking off his Christmas dinner. It was nice to be with the family...he supposed but his mind was elsewhere.

On Amara, specifically.

Roberto couldn't decide what it was they had or what he wanted. Did he want to try something serious with her? Or was what they had fine?

It's odd. He never thought of Amara this way before but going out on an actual few dates with her had been tremendous fun.

She had changed recently. She was gun-ho, free-spirited, as if she had decided to live life to the full all of a sudden. It was a good change...an attractive change...at least to him.

So what does he want?

What...hello Salty Goodness!

Roberto stops dead as a pair of identical twins pass him by...really, really hot twins.

Think about Amara later he decides as he catches up to them and introduces himself.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

_'And here we go again,' _Rogue morosely thinks to herself as she is run through another barrage of tests to get to the bottom of what is happening to her this time.

The driver that hit her was alright and they had managed to avoid police involvement...by basically buying him off and offering to buy him a brand new car.

His insurance probably didn't cover damage by mutant.

Rogue had quickly discovered she wasn't merely...well invulnerable may be going too far. Lets just go with extremely durable. She wasn't merely durable. When extracting herself from the wrecked car she bent the metal like paper.

She was superstrong too.

Mr McCoy had had to use the adamantium needles he normally saves for Clark to get blood out of her.

So Rogue sits on the bed, down in the infirmary, outwardly calm but inwardly she was freaking out. Dom was trying to cheer her up with her usual jokes.

Beast walks in...with a steel bar. He holds it out to her. "Can you bend that please?"

Rogue takes it in her hands and bends it into a knot easily.

Logan leaning up against the wall arches an eyebrow but says nothing. Storm was standing with him having felt it important she come as well. Evan was still at his parents. There was no reason to cut his vacation short.

Beast takes the bar back and makes a mental note to exactly measure Rogue's strength. "Have you been feeling any different lately, Rogue? What I mean is was this sudden or have you felt anything odd that was leading up to this? Anything small? Something you may have dismissed," he asks her, trying to see if there was any sign.

Rogue thinks hard. "Ah can't think of anything."

"And your absorption powers?"

"This is where I volunteer don't I," Domino realises as she holds her hand out in Rogue's direction.

Rogue takes Dom's hand but nothing...as in there is no relapse to Rogue's powers being constantly turned on.

"Can you please try and absorb a little of Domino," Beast requests.

Rogue's face dawns a mask of concentration. She and the Professor have been working on this. She lets out her powers slightly and feels the trickle of Domino's essence enter her.

Domino breaks away and staggers slightly. "Yeah. They're working," she can confirm.

"What's happening Hank?" Logan wants to know.

"I have no idea," Hank must confess.

"Helpful," Domino drawls sarcastically.

"Charles is going to examine Rogue's DNA. In the meantime all I can suggest is a full body scan."

With nothing else to do Rogue agrees.

* * *

Meanwhile the Professor is closely examining Rogue's DNA. They were anomalies present within her double-helix strand. Alterations that hadn't been there when he they tested her after the concert where her powers went haywire.

It doesn't make sense. Her DNA had stabilised. Charles triple checked it because of the fact kryptonite was involved.

Two options. He was mistaken...which with kryptonite is very possible since they lack an understanding of the unstable extraterrestrial element or there has been another, currently unknown, outside stimulant to cause a further mutation.

On a whim Charles runs a comparison of the anomalies with everything stored in the database. Perhaps it is something they have encountered before and he just can't remember. They do look vaguely familiar, the anomalies.

Charles sits back and sips on his tea while he waits. Shame this had to happen. It had been a nice day as well. Martha's Christmas dinner had been truly wonderful as all her cooking is.

To Charles' mild surprise the computer comes up with a match for the anomalies. He brings it up...and his jaw drops.

_'Impossible,' _is the thought that goes through his brain.

* * *

**Boston, Massachusetts...**

This was far closer to Emma Frost than Jean Grey ever cared to be. Unfortunately Jean's parents moved to Boston years ago for her father's work. He was a doctor and he got a job here in the city.

Right now she and Scott were wrapped up warmly as they took an evening stroll through the pretty suburb Jean's parents lived in as they worked off Christmas dinner, their arms locked together.

In Jean's opinion it had all gone quite well. Sure her father had been...well all fatherly like about Scott but it certainly was far from the worst she had seen him. In fact by her father's standards he has been downright civil.

She can sense Scott may not agree.

"Relax," she whispers to him. "I can sense your worry you know."

"Sorry," Scott apologises. "It is just...I'm certain your father knows."

"Knows what?"

"That we...you and I...that we..._snuggle."_

Jean giggles at the fact he uses that word. "Scott I'm the only psychic in this family," she tries to assure him that there is no way her father could know. She realises sooner or later they'll have to inform her parents at what stage she and Scott have reached. Jean was going for later...much, much later.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. I'm telling you I can see it in the way he looks at me."

"He's just a father caring for his little girl. Imagine one day how you'd act if our daughter brought a boy home."

Scott looks at her with surprise. "You think about us having children?"

"Sure...one day. Not now obviously," she knocks any idea he might be getting on the head. She's only 19 for crying out loud. "But yeah. One day Scott I would like us to have children. I can't imagine being with anyone else but you," she tells him her true heart's feeling.

"Me neither," Scott confirms he feels the same.

"By the way what would you do to that boy our daughter brought home?"

"Blast him through the wall."

Scott says it so intensely serious Jean can't help but laugh.

"And then ground her until she was 40."

"Oh Scott," Jean laughs some more.

"But I guess you would be there to stop my overreaction," he guesses.

"Of course I would. You have to let children grow up...and then I would scan the boy's mind and wipe any impure thoughts about Rachel he has from it."

"Rachel?" Scott queries about the sudden adding of a name.

"Oh...I kinda like that name. It's...silly," she says, cutting short what she was about to say, sort of embarrassed she has raised this.

"Tell me," Scott implores her to finish what she was about to say.

"It was a kid's thing. Me and Annie. We would imagine being grown ups and married one day and we got onto what would we call our kids. Like I said, silly."

"No. It's not," Scott assures her. He knows how deep the wound is over Annie for Jean. "So you came up with Rachel?"

"Yeah."

"It's a lovely name."

Jean leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yeah it is. Annie was upset I suggested it first and then I told her there was no reason we couldn't both call our daughters Rachel."

Scott kisses Jean on the temple. "Continue. What did you two troublemakers get up to next?"

"Troublemakers?" Jean questions that with a little hurt look.

"I calls them as I sees them," Scott smirks.

Jean huffs...and then speaks some more and as the snow drifts slowly down Scott listens to her recount some of her childhood memories...only ones with happiness rather than sadness.

* * *

**Los Alamos, New Mexico...**

Jamie Madrox's father is a theoretical nuclear physicist who works at Los Alamos. When Jamie's powers first appeared he came up with a theory Jamie was some sort of changeling or something based on an old native American legend.

When Professor Xavier arrived he soon corrected that notion.

Thing is some days Jamie isn't sure whether his father accepts his mutant status out of love...or simply because he is a scientist and in a sense Jamie is a curiosity to be studied. It sounds weirdly deep for a 14 year old but Jamie has the advantage of duplicating himself many times over and thinking through all the possibilities faster by giving each dupe a different possibility to consider. When Jamie reabsorbs them he gets their collective thinking.

Jamie supposes the bottom line is that at least his parents never rejected him and he doesn't question his mother's love for him.

Reality is, as much as Jamie is sure he loves his parents, he loves being at the Institute. He knows they all treat him as the annoying kid brother. Perhaps he plays up to the role. Jamie doesn't have an answer.

"Yeah you have the answer. You just don't want to say it."

Jamie looks directly at his dupe sitting at the end of his bed while he sits at the top.

"Hey. I'm you. Remember. I know what you're thinking," the dupe explains how he knows precisely what is going through Jamie's mind...because they have the exact same mind and memories and thoughts. "Now the really interesting bit is when we think on Paige. You like her."

"You like her too," Jamie points out since they're the same.

"Actually I think I like Rahne."

"That makes no sense. You can't feel differently from me."

"Perhaps I'm just the part of you that likes Rahne over Paige because, come on, admit it. We were feeling something. Remember when Rahne dated Roberto. Man were you jealous."

"I really need to stop talking to myself," Jamie says.

"Hey who else is gonna to put up with ya," the dupe smart-mouths.

Jamie makes a face and the dupe makes the identical one back. Ok so he might have been feeling a few stirrings for Paige...especially after she kissed him at the party. He still hasn't washed that cheek. It is just...she's like no girl he has ever met...but Rahne...she was his best friend...and... "It's so confusing."

"I think that's the definition of being a teenager," the dupe points out.

"Ok I think that's enough. Back you go," Jamie decides.

"Wait one tick," the dupe says, requesting a few more moments of existence. "Now what are you going to do when Rahne comes back? We both know she is."

"Um..."

"That's what I thought. Of course it was. I'm you."

Jamie takes a breath. "We don't know that either Paige or Rahne like us back. Maybe they just see us as the annoying little brother too," he points out.

"Be assertive! Go for what we want. We can do it. When that Arcade guy was trying to kill us we were totally assertive. We faced down the killer death-traps and didn't blink. We stormed Magneto's base with the others and didn't hide away like a little kid now did we?"

"No."

"You see. We can make choices."

"It's easy when it's a bad guy. When it's a girl..."

"We go to pieces and trip over own tongue. I know. I know."

The 2 Jamies sigh loudly. "Our lives suck," they echo each other.

Jamie reaches his hand out and the dupe does the same. As soon as their fingertips touch Jamie reabsorbs the dupe and it's memories become part of his own.

Jamie is still as confused as he was before he started this conversation so this was a big waste of time. Girls...Jamie would rather fight Magneto again.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The Professor's study of Rogue's DNA had only been the first revelation. Her body scan had thrown up more.

Putting what they had learned together Hank and Charles had, however, managed to work up a theory on what was going on. They gather everyone who is present together down in the infirmary because they all need to know and understand this...especially Clark because it involves him more than the others for reasons that will become clear shortly.

"So what's happening Tweedledee and Tweedledum?" Dom asks in her usual snarky way.

Rogue had her arms folded over her chest, her hands tucked in her armpits where they can't harm anyone. She is use to temporarily possessing superstrength but not for as long as she currently has. Storm places a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"And give us the short version," Logan wants.

"Very well," Charles concedes. "It was Clark."

"What?" Clark asks, his head popping up at the mention of his name.

"You better give us the long version," Jonathan suggests.

"No shit," Claire whispers softly. Lockheed, perched on her shoulder, seems to make a noise of disapproval at her language.

"More accurately it was Rogue's absorption of Clark," Hank begins to expand the explanation.

"When you grabbed hold of her during her power surge, Clark," the Professor addresses the alien teen. "You held onto her for a long time."

"And Rogue," Hank addresses her. "Remember what we said about your body trying to mimic the people you absorb?"

"Yeah," Rogue remembers that description.

"That is what your body attempted to do. Your powers, enhanced as they have been by kryptonite, attempted to copy Clark. I can show you what I mean." Hank twists a computer monitor round. "This is Clark's internal scan from our records," he explains. "In many ways it resembles human internal biology. There are a few differences, especially these," Hank points at several organs scattered about Clark's body. "These are unique to Clark and our working hypothesis is that these are some form of energy conversion...or transfer modules. They take the solar energy he absorbs and convert it into his varying abilities."

Hank changes the image. "This is Rogue's internal scan I took today," he informs them and then points at several small organs exactly where Clark's are. "They're smaller, less developed, less...efficient but they are the same."

Rogue blinks. She can't...what?

"What?" Domino asks the question going through everyone's head.

The Professor speaks. "Clark is a very complex lifeform...if he'll permit me that description. Rogue's powers attempted to do their best to copy his abilities. There are even a few genetic changes to mimic tiny fractions of Clark's DNA."

"Rogue's part Kryptonian now?" Clark queries, unable to believe he is hearing this.

"Only in a very tiny way to accommodate the creation of the organs."

"I don't understand," Storm speaks up.

Rogue is thinking how she doesn't either.

Storm continues. "You said Rogue's DNA had stabilised."

"That's right," Domino agrees, with an accusatory glare at the two men for screwing up.

"It had," Hank insists. "This part we can't explain. We can explain what we think happened but what triggered the change we..."

"Sunlight."

"What was that Clark?" Charles asks at the alien teen's interruption.

"Sunlight. My body is fuelled by sunlight but Rogue was locked up down here until you finished her tests and then you let her out into the sunlight. Even then it would have taken awhile to build up the charge especially if these organs are less efficient than my own."

Charles and Hank share a look. "That's a perfectly plausible explanation," Charles will agree. Natural sunlight as the trigger.

"Is this permanent?" Wanda of all people asks since Rogue looks like she is in a muted shock.

"Short of surgically removing the organs, assuming they wouldn't grow back...yes," Hank gives his assessment. "I'm sorry Rogue."

"Why?" Rogue asks quietly.

Hank looks puzzled. "For not noticing this earlier."

"There doesn't sound lahke anyway ya could," she says, showing remarkable understanding for her. "And ya know what ah'm not sorry for tha power either. Ah was fed up being tha dead-weight around here."

"Rogue. You were never that," Charles insists.

"Wasn't ah? What was mah power? Whatevah ah could absorb from someone else. If ah couldn't absorb a power then what was ah reduced ta? Crowd control," she complains bitterly. She hated that. "Now ah can beh useful on tha offensive."

"Only once we discovered your limits. You will have them," Charles cautions her. "You won't be on Clark's level," he makes the most likely deduction.

"Then lets go test them," Rogue proposes.

Charles is worried Rogue is not taking this change as seriously as she should...but if it is permanent then Rogue will need to know her limits so therefore he can't find an argument against her suggestion.

"Before that, what about Clark's other abilities?" Martha inquires, trying to get over the shock of all this. "His heat vision, x-ray vision, superhearing, does Rogue have them?"

"I did thoroughly examine Rogue's eyes," Hank reports. "Their internal structure has not changed. Clark has rather unique lenses to his eyes that can be noticed if you examine them closely. Rogue does not possess anything like that."

"So no?" Dom wants clarified.

"No."

"Will she develop them?" Logan asks.

"I can't rule it out completely, however as I said the organs she has are not as...advanced as Clark's. They are...forgive this term, inferior copies. As Charles was saying Clark is a very complex lifeform and Rogue's power did their best to copy his powers only they couldn't quite manage it."

"It is more likely than not she won't gain those abilities," Charles summarises the odds.

Rogue isn't sure if she is bothered or not. For now she just wants to see what she can do and not worry about what she can't.

* * *

**Long Island, New York...**

Bobby can say this was the typical Christmas dinner at his family. They had been joined by his aunt and his 2 cousins and they and his parents pretend he isn't a mutant and that somehow he is going to lead a normal life, including joining the family accountancy firm.

Bobby had reacted his usual way and made his jokes.

And so the phony façade continues.

After dinner he excuses himself to his room. He can only put on the act for so long. It's...wrong. He is what he is. Why should he pretend to be what he isn't.

Just then his phone rings. He answers as he lies like a beached whale on his bed. "'ello!" he answers, so depressed he can't even make a witty greeting.

"Hi Bobby. It's Chloe."

Bobby shoots up to a sitting position. "Chloe! Hi!" he replies his voice going a little squeaky before he realises it and makes it sound deeper and more manly. Chicks dig manly sounding voices right. "Hi."

Bobby swears he hears her laugh lightly.

"So how's it going?" Chloe asks him.

"Good...fine...great!"

Bobby's a worse liar than Clark. Chloe doesn't call him out on it. "So Lois and my father are swapping anecdotes. I swear I can't be related to either."

Bobby grins at the image.

"I knew that wine with dinner was a mistake," Chloe berates herself for allowing it. Lois especially should never be around alcohol.

"I know the feeling. My father starts on how about he helps his clients deal with the tax law changes when he starts drinking." Yes, his father is just that dull.

"Huh...I have a story somewhere on how accountancy firms are in bed with big corporations to come up with ways avoid paying tax. I could always sneak an interview in with your father when his tongue is...how should I put it, loose?"

"I might just help," Bobby offers. It would at least be entertaining...but no, he wouldn't really do anything to hurt his family...unless it is really, deeply illegal and he doesn't think his father does that.

"You don't mind me phoning do you?" Chloe asks something she should have asked at the start.

"Heck no! It was either talking to you or listening to my father recount his Risk Club stories...again!"

"Oh I'm sure they're fascinating," Chloe drawls sarcastically.

"Absolutely riveting. The excitement sends me to right to sleep every single time."

Chloe chuckles.

"So I think the appropriate question at a time like this is..." Booby clears his throat and speaks in a low sultry voice. "What are you wearing?"

Chloe bursts out in laughter down the phone.

Bobby smiles broadly. Deep down he knows he hasn't been the best judge when it comes to girls but this time he's pretty certain he's hit the jackpot.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Clark has to say this is familiar to him as part of the Danger Room ceiling lowers on hydraulic jacks. This is how his strength is measured...although it keeps increasing so rapidly it is starting to raise the issue whether there will be any way to keep measuring it.

However, this is not for him. This is for Rogue. He's just here to ensure she doesn't get hurt. She was dressed in her black and green uniform, mostly black with that green reinforced chest piece. He was concerned with how nonchalant she was taking all this. He's seen inside her mind but in this case he doesn't get her reaction at all.

"Ready when you are, Rogue," Beast's voice comes over the PA.

Rogue raises her hands and lays them flat against the metal roof section. "Fire away!" she tells them to start.

Beast starts it very slowly increasing to simulate the weight. A few dozen pounds. A few hundred pounds. It passes a thousand heading for a ton with no sign Rogue is struggling so far.

"1 ton!" Beast announces over the PA and to everyone else present in the control booth. "5...10...15..."

Domino lets out an impressed whistle.

The figure keeps going up. "20...25...30..."

Clark notices the first twitch of Rogue beginning to struggle. "Slow it down!" he calls up to reduce the rate of increase.

"N-no," Rogue protests.

"Yes," Clark insists.

Rogue shoots him a glare before returning to concentrate on the task at hand.

"40!" Beast announces.

Rogue is definitely struggling now.

"45!..."

"50!..."

Rogue collapses to her knees. In an instant Clark catches the roof section.

Rogue looks up to see him holding with one hand with ease what beat her...and he's doing it in nothing but one of his blue t-shirts and jeans. Rogue rubs her shoulder where the pressure was the highest.

"You ok?" Clark asks her as he offers her his free hand.

Rogue takes it and lets him help her up. "Ah'm fahne," she insists. "Where did I stop?"

"50 tons."

Up in the control booth Claire remarks, "Well that's crazy." She strokes Lockheed's chin who purrs. "And he seems to agree with me."

"It may not even be her permanent upper limit," Beast cautions. "With more exposure to sunlight it may well increase...although I would speculate that may take awhile due to the inefficiency of the organs she possesses...and if you want my guess we are most likely not too far from her maximum limit."

"What about speed?" Storm asks. "Will she have superspeed like Clark?"

"Only one way to be certain," the Professor points out. He leans forward and takes the mic. "If you're ready Rogue we would like to test your speed. Just run around the Danger Room, starting slowly and speeding yourself up."

Rogue gives a thumbs up to acknowledge she heard that. Rogue starts at a jog and Clark jogs beside her.

"So how are you doing?" Clark asks her. "I'm asking as a friend," he qualifies.

"Ah'm fahne. It's fahne."

"Is it?"

"Ya got something ta say Clark?" Rogue asks him in that tone that says, cut the bull and just say it.

"I don't think you're taking this seriously enough," Clark just gives her his view.

"In what way?"

"You're accepting this far too easily."

"Am ah?"

"Remember the first weekend I came. I was hiding from Kitty and we talked in the library."

"Uh huh," Rogue says as she breaks out in a full proper run.

"I pointed out how difficult it is to be superstrong. How careful you have to be. How fragile normal people are in comparison. How you must be in control every second. Hell lets face it I just had this conversation, more or less, in Metropolis with the vigilante I met there."

"Ah'm not her. Ah ain't on some vengeance kick," Rogue complains unhappily at being compared to someone else.

"But you do have a temper...which you don't deny."

"No. Ah don't deny it but ah'll learn ta control it and mah new powers. Don't ya see Clark this is a gift...a Christmas miracle. It allows meh ta contribute in a way ah couldn't before. For tha first tahme in mah life ah'm not gettin' constantly kicked down. Ah can control mah absorption powers and this is just tha icing on the cake. Ah need this."

Those last 3 words clue Clark in. This is about her insecurities. He could say that some extra powers won't heal that wound. She has to believe in herself...expect he spent a year saying that exact thing and it still hasn't sunk in. Clark just shakes his head a little. In one selfish way he's glad they broke up and he doesn't have to deal with Rogue's neuroses any longer.

By now Rogue is sprinting flat out...while Clark still looks like he is jogging. Well apparently she is not on his level.

"How fast is she going?" Logan asks up in the observation booth.

"67...68 miles per hour," Hank informs them.

Dom blows out another whistle. "The Bionic Woman has nothing on her," she quips

"That's not superspeed by the definition we would use," the Professor decrees. "That is just the result of the increased strength of her muscles being able to push her along faster."

"She's still breaking the speed limit of New York state. That ain't to be sniffed at," Domino points out.

"So do we group text everyone or save it as a surprise?" Jonathan asks about how they inform everyone, sounding so serious it's funny.

Dom bounces up and down waving a raised hand. "Ooh, ooh, I vote for surprise," she says like an excited kid, wanting to see everyone's face when they tell them.

"I am not related to her, I am not related to her," Logan mutters over and over wishing to God it was true.

* * *

**Nova Roma...**

Upon returning home Amara discovered she had been right about Clark's presence having an effect. In a way she should have realised it would. How could it not. Her people literally saw a being they deem to be a God walk amongst them.

It was a positive effect. The whole nation seemed to have been lifted, like Clark's mere presence was a blessing upon the country.

Amara's relationship with her parents was fine. She had forgiven them for the whole 'Selene being her grandmother and not telling her' secret. Amara was glad to be home...because it was home. No matter what obligations her life in America might have her duty was to her home. She would never forget she is a Princess, heir to the throne of Nova Roma.

The Summer Solstice Festival had been as enjoyable as always. Her people really knew how to have a festival.

Right now Amara, with her usual guard escort, was surveying another change Clark's presence had had. They were building an annex to the Temple of the Child of the Stars...an annex dedicated solely to the worship of his Son...to Clark.

Amara was really looking forward to telling Clark this and seeing the look on his face.

Once she has finished her survey she heads inside the temple and down deep under it to the hidden cave where the statue of Jor-El stands. Her guards leave her at the entrance to the staircase. This is for her alone.

Amara places a cloth down on the floor in front of the statue and kneels upon it. She looks up at the figure that so looks like Clark himself. "Lord Jor-El, hear my prayer," she says. "I know what Clark says about you being dead but for my whole life you have been my primary focus of worship. My faith remains despite his words so I speak to you now. I wish to say...thank you. Thank you for sending your son to us. I give you my word I will do all in my power to aid him fulfil the task you sent him here to do."

Amara pauses before she murmurs, "All in my power."

She looks down at her hands and then back up at Jor-El's statue. "I don't suppose you can tell me what is happening to my powers? I tore the earth apart but now that power's gone...only I know it isn't. Is this a test? Am I out of mind to believe a statue will give me the answer? No offence," she quickly adds lest she get smited.

Amara lowers her head. It's daft. She's not going to get an answer.

"Patience."

Amara's head shoots up and looks around her. "W-who said that?" she stutters, startled as she is.

"You must have patience. When you are ready your power will be there waiting. When you understand who you are your true potential and destiny will open up in front of you."

Amara peers at the statue. Can't be. "Lord Jor-El? Is...is that you?" she asks in a deathly whisper.

Nothing.

Ok so either Amara is cracking up completely...or her prayer was actually answered. She said her faith remained strong and so it does. A burst of happiness wells up inside her so overpowering happy tears flow from her eyes. "Thank you," she whispers in true happiness. This could very well be the best day of her life.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

It's very late into the night now and Clark is sitting in his room on his bed, crossed leg just trying to let today's events sink in. Clark blames himself for a lot of stuff, some of it entirely justified, some of it probably not but what has happened to Rogue is his fault, however unintentional it was. He made the choice to grab hold of her and let her absorb him.

True, he was trying to save her life but still actions have consequences...especially his actions. That's partly why he came here in the first place so he would learn to not misuse his powers or make choices that cause suffering to people...like what happened with his ship and the baby.

What makes this worse is that he really doesn't think Rogue is taking it seriously enough. If she thinks having some superstrength and enhanced speed is going to make her life better she is for a serious let-down...and that may not be the end of it. Who knows what over abilities of his she may develop over time given more exposure to sunlight. This is still very early in the process for her.

Clark is beginning to wonder if he really knew Rogue at all. Her reaction...is just not what he figured it would be.

Before he can spend more time dissecting his failed relationship his phone rings. His brow furrows a little wondering who could be calling this late. He answers it. "Hello?"

"..."

"Hello?" Clark repeats at the silence. He can just about hear some soft breathing.

"...Clark?" a small voice queries.

"Andrea," Clark recognises the voice.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No."

"I really shouldn't have called," she goes on. "It is just..."

"It's ok, Andrea. I said you could call me," he assures her she is not bothering him.

There is a few shaky sounding breaths like Andrea is trying to reign in her emotions. "This is my first Christmas without her," she says in a tiny, tiny voice.

Without her mother, Clark assumes Andrea means. He can practically feel her grief and sadness wash over him from 1000 miles away.

Andrea sniffles. "I'm sorry," she apologises. "I just...I'm just sitting here...by myself and I..."

"Please, stop apologising," Clark asks of her gently. "I know what it's like. Believe me."

"I do."

Clark thinks they need to get off her sadder memories of the absence of her mother. "So was Christmas a big thing for you and your mother?"

"Well it has been just the two of us for a long time. My father...he walked out when I was little."

"That's his loss," Clark says with total sincerity.

"That's what my mother said."

"Any holiday traditions? Everyone has odd ones. You should see mine some day."

Andrea lightly laughs at Clark's tone of mortification. "I...oh you know...we would help out with the church. You know hand out some food and clothes and Christmas cheer to the less fortunate. That's why my mom set up Acrata. To help people."

"I never have a bad word for people who do that. Claire on the other hand..."

Andrea laughs more. "Yeah. I remember her language well. We may not have been close friends but that stuck in the mind."

"Trying living with it 24/7."

"You poor, poor thing," Andrea mock sympathises.

"I don't have to sit here and be mocked young lady," Clark say with a mock righteous tone.

"Never claimed to be a _lady_," Andrea retorts, her voice just a little saucy.

"Luckily for you I am a gentle-_man,_" Clark says, putting enough suggestive tone on the word man.

Back in her apartment in Metropolis Andrea can't help but smile. This is fun. "Well since I'm a journalist I don't takes things at face value. I might need proof of that."

"Maybe one day I'll provide it."

"I'll keep a space free in my diary."

"Make it a big space."

Andrea snorts with laughter down the line.

Clark joins her in laughing.

"Dios, ¿qué estamos haciendo?" Andrea says in Spanish.

"I don't speak Spanish, Andrea," Clark points out though he might go and learn it now.

"I was just asking what we are doing."

"I thought we were speaking over the phone."

"Don't be smart."

"That's kinda hard for me. According to my IQ test I'm a certified genius."

"Really?"

"In terms of remembering facts, yes. At life...not so much. There's a reason I have far too many ex-girlfriends for my age."

"Yeah, not so good at that myself," Andrea laments her past relationship failures. "Mom always use to tell me though there was someone for me."

"Mine says the same thing. It's a depressing thought that Claire has a girlfriend and I don't."

"Claire has a girlfriend?" Andrea says in some surprise.

"Yep. Is that surprise it's a girl or that she found someone?"

"The second one."

"She met someone. They connected. That's how she describes it."

"That's quoting my mother. She said that. 'Andi,' she said, 'one day there will just be someone and you'll feel a connection and if they are truly the one nothing will ever break that connection. It will only grow and deepen until you can't remember, can't imagine what your life is like without it."

"My mother has a similar saying."

"Didn't you say you lost everything?" Andrea inquires, starting to think he may have lied to her about that...except she saw it his eyes the loss.

"My adopted mother," Clark clears that up.

"Oh," Andrea gets it. "Your birth mother?"

"My birth family is dead," Clark just lays it out. "I'm the only one left."

"In every way it matters so I am," Andrea says sadly. "After my father left mom...no you don't want to hear this," she decides she is getting into stuff he won't be interested in.

"Course I do," Clark tries and encourages her to speak.

"She would try and distract me, you know. There was this song she made up. It always cheered me up."

"What was it?"

"You wouldn't understand it. It's in Spanish."

"Sing it anyway," he says, not for him. For herself. Get her to focus on her positive memories.

Andrea takes a few moments to remember the words.

As she starts singing Clark listens in silence, letting her, in a different way, to pour her heart out. He doesn't understand the words but he can still feel their meaning in Andrea's tone. It's beautiful. Clark sits there, listening, not even noticing he is hovering above his bed.

* * *

_Author's Note: I figured it was time for Lorna to come up with her codename. Oh poor Alicia, if only she knew what Gambit was really like. It's suppose to be ambiguous who, if anyone, is talking to Amara or maybe it really is in her head. So it begins for Rogue and when she absorbed Ms Marvel in the comics her strength was roughly in the 50tons range and I leave the possibility she can get stronger in the future. No flying. Not yet. Clark and Andrea...it's not the end of that. I won't say what I'm planning but she will be a fixture in his life going forward. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Scott and Jean return, Alex arrives, everyone worries about Rogue's reaction to her new powers and Claire and Wanda do some bonding._


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

**At the Institute...**

The Saturday after Christmas Scott and Jean return to the mansion 1st thing. Alex would be here this weekend and Scott was very excited by that prospect.

After the two have had breakfast the Professor calls them to his office and he brings them up to speed on Rogue.

"That's unbelievable," Jean says...and then suddenly realises the irony of saying that when you're an X-Man. They've seen a lot of unbelievable stuff. "Is she alright?" she asks after her friend.

"Physically she's fine. We're keeping a close eye on her, understandably, as she adjusts."

"Emotionally?" Jean queries because this must be a big adjustment.

"I have my concerns. She seems to have embraced this almost too easily and Clark made the comment he doesn't think she's taking it seriously enough."

"Where is Clark?" Scott asks, speaking up for the first time because he hasn't seen the alien teen yet this morning.

"Away to the Fortress, I believe, to begin his training with Jor-El."

"Are we sure about letting him do it on his own?" Scott queries that decision.

"Honestly? No. However, there is little more for us to do for him in this area. This is his heritage he is exploring."

Scott supposed so.

Jean returns to the subject of Rogue. "What does Clark mean Rogue is not taking this seriously enough?"

"In that she is not quite comprehending the burdens of possessing constant superstrength or taking into account the fragility of the world around her now she is this strong."

"How strong as we talking about, Professor?" Scott asks since they never got a figure.

"She lifted 50tons."

Both Scott and Jean's eyebrows rise.

"And she ran at near 70mph," Charles adds.

"Is it me or is it weird that just as Clark takes a break Rogue gains the powers we would be missing?" Scott asks.

"It is a strange coincidence," Charles concedes. "What has happened has happened. We need to deal with it," he says, being pragmatic.

"If Clark's right in that she doesn't have the right mental attitude then I would have to carefully consider her place on the team," Scott argues. He can't afford people whose minds aren't in the correct frame of mind.

"Storm made the same point," Charles informs them and technically speaking she is still in temporary charge of the X-Men. "I believe Logan is trying to help Rogue...in his own unique way."

"Which is what?" Jean asks, almost afraid for Rogue at what Logan would do.

"He has been running her through various Danger Room programs everyday since this happened. In fact he has her in there right now. It's just not about her attitude. It's about learning her limits. We know she is durable but how durable? The Danger Room provides the only safe environment to test those limits."

Jean could see that. "And weaknesses? I'm referring to Clark's really."

"Is she susceptible to kryptonite, you mean?" Charles guesses Jean means.

Jean nods to confirm this.

"We did test that and the short answer is, no. It has no effect on her...or at least not any measurable one."

"Red solar light?" Scott queries in regard to Clark's other weakness.

"Yes...much more so than Clark himself is. It only took a short concentrated exposure to negate the effects and return her to normal. Chances are that is because she hasn't been exposed to as much yellow sunlight as Clark. Chances are it will always be so because her body has only been altered a tiny amount. It is not designed to store energy as Clark's body does. That being the case in a prolonged battle at night, for example, it is likely to result in her consuming the stored energy quickly. We haven't got around to testing that precisely yet. Also Wanda was kind enough to test Rogue's resistance to magic. It has not altered in anyway. Rogue is as susceptible to its effects as any of us."

"I think I might go watch her down in the Danger Room," Scott decides. If he is to make a choice about whether Rogue stays on the team he has to see her in action. He gets up to leave only for the Professor to stop him momentarily.

"Before you go I'll say that Sam and Paige's mother went into labour on Christmas day."

"Really?" Jean says, her face smiling at the idea.

Charles nods. "Sam phoned. She gave birth to a girl, Elizabeth. Mother and daughter doing well."

"That's great news," Scott greets it warmly before he makes his excuse to leave and go check on Rogue.

"Jean, could you stay a moment," the Professor requests before she leaves as well.

Jean nods in compliance and Scott leaves. "Yes, Professor?" she queries what this is about.

"As you know we'll be having a few extra students come in the New Year," he begins.

Jean nods, knowing this has been discussed without knowing precisely who is coming.

"One of them will be a telepath and while I'm not ordering you to be her friend I would wish you to help her with her control," he requests for Jean to pass on her experience.

"Of course, Professor," Jean says, agreeing. "It'll be nice to have another telepath around," she comments.

"We have been at a disadvantage with only you and I. As you will recall Emma had several at her disposal."

Oh Jean remembers. Especially those 5 identical girls. Creepy as hell.

"And Magneto must have at least a few of his own by now amongst his followers," Charles also makes the point.

"So can I ask who she is?"

"Well her parents are old friends of mine. When she started 'hearing voices' they came to me and I have helped her as best I can. I instructed her on meditation and basic control strategies but I haven't seen her in person for a couple of years. Her powers have grown recently to the point that what I have taught her is no longer sufficient to keep control. She needs to be here in person where I can help her."

Jean nods in understanding. "What's her name?"

Charles realises he never said her name. "Oh it's Elizabeth. Elizabeth Braddock."

* * *

In the kitchen that morning Claire is sort of hanging around, feeding Lockheed who is sitting on the table in front of her. Claire finds him adorable enough that he makes her smile. Kitty had been on the phone everyday, sometimes more than once, checking up that Lockheed was ok and that he hadn't run...flown away again after her.

It was starting to get annoying. Is some trust in Claire too much to ask for?

Claire glances over at the door as it opens and Wanda walks in. The girl in scarlet red heads to the fridge and pulls the carton of milk out. She reaches up into the cupboard and gets a glass before she pours herself a drink.

Wanda raises the glass to her lips lets the cool white liquid slide down her throat. Interesting few days...and for her that is saying something. Christmas...had been the best Christmas she had had in years. Presents, fantastic meal with what essentially are her family in the ways that count.

Then Rogue's...new developments. Wanda understands a lot about having wonky powers. Hers come from chaos magic. It means the outcomes of her spells aren't always exactly what she intends. She's still a beginner at magic saying that. Perhaps once she has gained more experience she will improve her accuracy.

Anyway Rogue seems to be handling it surprisingly well but Wanda likes to think she is Rogue's friend and therefore she thinks Rogue's reaction is...off. Wanda has tried talking to Rogue about it but the Goth's girl response is just to claim how everything is fine and that's she's coping.

Wanda looks at Claire feeding Lockheed. Weird. "Where's Clark this morning?" she asks the redhead.

"Training with Jor-El," Claire answers as she coos a bit at the little purple dragon. "Ever had a pet?" she suddenly asks.

"No."

"Should we get you a black cat?" Claire asks with a teasing grin.

"No."

"No. That was a mistake. It should be a rabbit to go in your top hat."

"Ha, effin, ha."

"No. It's ha, fucking, ha. Go ahead; swear. It feels good. Trust me."

"I'll pass. You ever had a pet?"

"Grew up on the streets. Didn't actually have what you call a home."

"I was thrown into an asylum by my father who spends his days on megalomaniac schemes to take over the world."

"Mine's the Black King of the Hellfire Club...who had me grown in a test tube."

Wanda walks over to the table and sits herself down. "Are you trying to bond with me?"

"What?" Claire asks with a peculiar expression.

"You see I went through this whole thing with Rogue after Clark locked us in a room together and said we weren't leaving until we were civil with each other."

"Really? Clark did that?" Claire says with surprise.

Wanda nods.

"Didn't know he had it in him," Claire remarks with pride in her brother's antics.

Wanda's eyes narrow slightly. "My point is Rogue and I talked and managed to find common ground and this seems very like that conversation."

"Clark did ask me to be civil to you, I admit but that was it. I ain't looking to be your bosom buddy, Wanda. For his sake I'm trying to be nice. Can you just take that?"

"For him, yes." Although Wanda doesn't quite know where she is fitting into Clark's life at the minute. He said she could think of him as her brother but now he has an actual sister and what is she? And he isn't here for her to ask him about it. Convenient that.

Lockheed walks across the table to Wanda and rubs his head up against her arm. Wanda scratches the top of his head. He was kinda sweet...for a dragon. "I don't think they would have allowed you at where I grew up," she says to Lockheed. "They never even let me keep my doll."

"Doll?" Claire queries with an amused expression, very close to laughing her ass off.

Wanda frowns deeply. "I was 8...and I loved that doll," she says with deep heartfelt emotional attachment to the little blond haired doll she use to own.

"Well go get it back," Claire suggests.

"Assuming they put it into storage and didn't throw it out I can't. I can't go back to that..._place_," she says with a shiver of fear and loathing.

"Look, I know it's not pleasant. I just went back to my past before Christmas and confronted some ghosts but you know what I'm glad I did. I feel...lighter. Maybe it's time you confronted your fears."

"It's not that simple," Wanda says. "I was broken out. I was never discharged. If they saw me they would try and recapture me."

"Well personally I would like to see them try that," Claire says with a wry grin. "After all aren't you a witch now?"

"I..." Wanda stops. It was her inability to control her powers that made it possible for them to lock her up. Now they wouldn't stand a chance of doing so without a way to repress her powers.

"Tell you what. I'll come with you in case you get into trouble," Claire offers.

"I never said I was going."

"You really should confront your demons. Trust me it's really cathartic...or don't and this place can retain some hold over you for the rest of your life. It's up to you."

Wanda leans back into her chair and contemplates that. That..._place _still regularly fills her nightmares but she's not the person she was when she was freed from it. She's more at peace with herself than she has been for a long time. She's happy with her life. Not perfectly happy but happier than she has been for a long time.

She can't be perfectly happy because there are shadows on her life. Her father...and one day Wanda swears she will settle that score. That..._place, _that casts a long shadow. Maybe Claire's right. Maybe it's time she stop letting it haunt her. She gets to her feet. "You should get changed," she advises.

"Changed?" Claire queries with a puzzled expression.

"Well you did say you would come," Wanda points out.

Claire's lips grow into a smile. "So I did."

Wanda nods and heads off to change into her Scarlet Witch uniform. Time to confront her demons.

* * *

Scott enters the observation and control booth of the Danger Room to find both Logan and Domino there, watching Rogue closely.

"One-eye," Logan greets him without turning to look at him.

"Logan," Scott returns the greeting.

"So Jean's dad didn't kill you then," Domino comments.

"No...but I did endure a really uncomfortable talk from him about treating his daughter right."

Domino chuckles at that image.

"How's Rogue doing?" Scott wonders.

"Look for yourself," Domino offers as she steps aside to create a space.

Scott steps forward and looks down and the simulation of a city street. "You're running the Sentinel programme?" he queries, recognising it.

"Rogue asked for it," Logan justifies the choice.

Down below Scott watches as Rogue faces off against, at least, three Sentinels. There's the wreckage of another one already strewn about. He watches her sprint at one, dodging the energy blasts as she goes before she leaps into the air using her superhuman strength to propel her.

It doesn't work...whatever she is planning.

The Sentinel she was aiming at smashes a fist from above, hitting her and slamming her down into the street, where Rogue's impact carves out a small crater.

Rogue starts to push herself up.

Scott looks up at the monitor which is focussed in on a close-up of Rogue. Her face is a little dirt covered and her hair messed up but she actually otherwise seems alright. "How much punishment have you been subjecting her to?" he wonders.

"We've been increasing it slowly every day," Domino answers. They were trying to discover her limits in a safe environment.

Scott watches Rogue throw herself back into directly fighting the Sentinels...with her bare fists. He shakes his head in disapproval. "She's not thinking it through," he criticises. "Just because you have raw strength doesn't mean you don't plan. There are other ways she could be using her strength to disable them."

"You noticed that too, huh?" Domino says with a sad wry tone.

"It's been the same every day," Logan says gruffly.

Clark's right, Scott realises. About Rogue not taking this seriously enough. She's just throwing herself into a battle because she thinks she can take it. That's a sure-fired way to get yourself killed. He can't have her doing that when they're out in the field as a team. Maybe it'll be different when she's in the team and will listen to orders. He hopes so. If it is the case, though, he's going to have to be more forceful in ensuring Rogue does exactly what he says. If not...well he was planning to set up that reserve team for a reason.

Down below Rogue has managed to allow the Sentinels to surround her. The main canons in their chest light up and all 3 fire and hit her simultaneously. The blast sends Rogue flying into a nearby building which starts to collapse on top of her...at which point the Danger Room safety protocols kick in and dissolve the simulation.

Scott, Logan and Domino make their way down into the Danger Room where Rogue is sitting in the middle of the floor, rubbing her head.

"Why did ya stop it?" she complains, irately.

"Because a building collapsed on top of you," Domino dead-pans.

Rogue's looks up at her sister through narrowed eyes, slightly pissed off at being stopped. She wasn't beaten yet. "Reset it," she demands.

"Stripes," Logan says warningly. He doesn't know what has gotten into her but she has got to stop.

"Reset it," Rogue restates forcefully.

"Perhaps you might want to take a break," Scott suggests.

Rogue looks at him. "Why?"

"Because your body may be tough but your uniform isn't that tough," Scot says, gesturing for her to look down at herself. In fact he thinks if this was real life and not a Danger Room simulation she would probably be much worse off than that right now. Heck, she might even be fatally wounded.

Rogue does look down at herself and can see lots of rips and tears. Some large, some small, but she is only barely maintaining her dignity. She looks to Domino. "Ya could have said," she complains.

"Not until after I had gotten pictures," Domino responds, a look of pure innocence on her face.

Rogue huffs at her and makes a snorting sound as she stands herself up. "Fahne. Ah'll change...but ah'll beh back ta finish that program," she vows as she walks away.

"I'm tellin ya I'm tempted to tell furball to cut those organs out," Logan says after Rogue is gone, in reference to what is giving her this power.

"It's not just the power, Logan. It's her feelings. She's going through a break-up, remember," Domino makes the point of what else is possibly behind this

Logan groans. "Ya damn kids and your teenage angst," he complains.

"She needs to get it under control," Scott states. "I can't take her on missions when that is her attitude."

"Look when the chips are down we can count on her. I believe that," Domino states in Rogue's defence.

"She better," Logan says in a half-threat. Daughter or no he can't let her carry on with this chip on her shoulder.

* * *

**The Fortress of Solitude...**

Clark arrives inside the icy structure and takes a few moments to wander around. Something he has actually never done. Jor-El said this recreated the geography of Krypton.

So this is what his home looked like?

It's lovely in a way but it also seems cold and sterile.

Clark knows from his memories of Jor-El on Nova Roma that his father felt Kryptonians had lost their drive. That they had become stuck in their ways Clark guesses. Maybe this cold, sterile feel is what comes from that.

He wanders over to the panel with the crystals embedded in it. Clark was here for 2 reasons. His training, yes and his mind. With the rest he took he has been better able to keep Kal and Kal-El at bay but he can always feel them, always hear them, usually giving him conflicting advice. Almost like those cartoons with an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. He wants it to just be his mind...as in one person. Not 3. That being the case despite this being Jor-El's fault and despite Jor-El's many unhelpful disciplines he is willing to let his father back into his head to fix this.

"Jor-El," Clark speaks quietly. "I'm here."

"My son," Jor-El greets him, his tone spoken softly. "It pleases me you are ready to embark on the next stage of your journey."

"I'm reserving judgement if that's alright."

"I believe I can understand your caution. I hope one day you will be able to trust me completely. For whatever strife there has been between us you are still my son and all I have ever wished is for you to survive and fulfil your destiny."

"I am here," Clark repeats with more emphasis.

"Indeed. You are."

"However, like we discussed previously there will be limits on my time."

"Then we should waste no more."

"My mind?" Clark inquires about.

"A delicate matter. It will be done slowly over the course of many sessions that I integrate the 3 personalities together. Any changes as a result will be slow and minor at first. I can access your subconscious while you study."

"Study?"

"Your people's history. Because of the time restraints I ask you to study diligently while you are here."

"I promise," Clark says for two reasons. One; he decided last year it was time to accept who he was and to follow wherever that led and two; is the more practical concern of only Jor-El being able to control this Fortress. He's not so stupid as to blindly trust the ghost that calls itself Jor-El. Therefore learning how to control this place himself is important.

"Then let us begin," Jor-El pronounces and a column of light springs up around Clark, immersing him utterly, 360 degrees in images and text, blinking by faster than any human could even register them.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Scott was in his room, sitting on his bed, pad and pen in hand sketching out a few roughs ideas for the teams reorganisations he was planning. He didn't have an exact list of everyone who is coming but he knew a few. Rahne would return along with Mr Cassidy and his daughter Terry.

It wasn't just the new ones. It was who was further ahead than the rest amongst the New Mutants. Volcana and Tarot were basically at X-Men levels thanks to Emma's teachings. Scott had to decide whether to just elevate them to the X-Men or put them in the reserve which is virtually the same thing since any reserve member has to be able to step up at a moment's notice.

His door opens and he smiles as the lovely redhead that happens to be his girlfriend enters. "Hey."

"Hey," Jean returns.

"Did you talk to Rogue?" he asks since that was what she was going to do last they chatted. He was hoping Jean, as Rogue's friend, might be able to get to the bottom of Rogue's attitude.

Jean nods as she sits herself down next to her boyfriend. "I did."

Jean's tone tells Scott the following. "Didn't go so well?"

"No. It was fine. Rogue's fine. She's fine with everything. Everything is fine."

Jean's acerbic tone indicates to Scott she doesn't really think everything is fine. He reaches over and places his hand over Jean's shoulders and gently pulls her into him. He kisses her on the temple. "What happened?" he asks.

"I don't know. It was...like Clark said and you were saying. It's like she doesn't, or doesn't want to, grasp how serious this all is. Maybe it just hasn't sunk in yet and she needs more time."

Scott doesn't rule that out as a possibility. He rubs Jean's arm and he feels the tension leave her. He kisses her temple again and then starts to move his kisses down until he reaches that sensitive point on her neck which makes her moan.

Jean closes her eyes and moans as warmth seeps through her body. With Scott's injuries and then being at her parents' they hadn't been intimate in a few weeks...so in other words she was really horny and sexually frustrated.

"Hmm, Scott," she moans, her voice husky and sultry. Her hands reach for him and try to find their way under his jersey so she can touch bare skin.

Scott can also hear Jean's voice in his mind encouraging him on. It has been too long since he was able to taste the delicious fruit that was the gorgeous Jean Grey.

The heat between them increases...

"_Scott!" _the Professor's voice breaks into his mind.

Jean hears it as well. "You have got to be kidding me!" Jean complains from between gritted teeth. Her body was just getting itself warmed up.

Scott tries to blank his mind so the Professor doesn't pick up on his dirty, dirty thoughts. _"Yes, Professor?" _he replies, trying, and probably failing, to keep the frustration out of his mental voice.

"_Your brother is here."_

"_I'll...I'll be right there," _he says.

Scott looks into Jean's eyes full of lust and desire. "Sorry," he gives the pained apology.

Jean strokes his face. "It's ok. It's your brother," she understands...but damn does she need a cold shower right now.

"I don't think I should have said I would be right there," Scott says.

"What do you mean?"

Scott gestures with his head and Jean looks downward to see the bulge in his jeans.

Jean dissolves into a fit of giggles.

"Jean!" Scott protests, red-faced.

Jean only laughs all the harder.

* * *

Several minutes later after Scott's problem has...deflated he and Jean walk down the main steps to find a 16 year old boy with long blond hair overly wrapped in layers of clothing standing in the lobby.

Scott practically leaps down the last few steps. "Alex!" he greets his younger brother happily and the 2 share a hug.

"Hey bro!" Alex greets him back. The hug ends and he then shivers. "Man how do you live with the chill out here?" he wants to know because he is freezing. He blows on his hands and rubs them together.

Scott gives his younger brother a look. "It's not that cold," he tells Alex. "You've just gone soft living on that paradise island. Don't you remember what Alaskan winters were like?"

"Trying to forget, bro. Trying to forget," Alex says with a smirk.

Scott rolls his eyes with a shake of his head.

Jean smiles at the two siblings. "Hello Alex," she greets him.

"Jean. You still hanging out with this guy?" Alex asks, jerking his thumb at his brother. "Sure you don't want to trade him in for the younger, sleeker, sexier Summers model?" he asks, preening himself.

Jean laughs at Scott's grumpy look. She saddles up next to her boyfriend and wraps an arm around his waist. "Sorry, Alex. I'm afraid the older Summers model is my perfect fit."

"Too bad but if you change your mind..."

Scott cuts Alex off. "She won't be!" he insists forcefully.

Alex smirks. His brother is so uptight and easy to ruffle. Although he must admit to being slightly jealous that his brother bagged such a major honey as Jean. He looks around. "So this is the place you're always telling me about? Seems quieter than you talked about," he mentions.

"Most of the others are away home for the holidays," Scott explains that. "But there are a few people around."

"Yeah I met the Professor," Alex says because it the Professor who let him in.

"Lets see, uh, Rogue is..."

"Back in the Danger Room," Jean fills in where Rogue is.

"Right so I'm guessing that's where Logan and Domino are," Scott guesses. "I think Storm went back to her sister's until the New Year," he believes. "Mr McCoy is probably down in one of the labs tinkering with something. Clark is...out doing an errand," he phrases it as. "I don't know where Claire and Wanda have gotten to. Mr and Mrs Kent are..." He looks to Jean.

Jean closes her eyes and stretches out with her mind to locate the older couple. "In the sitting room," she finds them.

"I'll introduce you," Scott decides is the course of action. "Just leave your coat and bags here. We'll come back," he tells Alex.

Alex peels off his coat and places it atop the bags he brought and follows his brother and Jean through the mansion until they find the red-haired woman and the blond-haired man sitting by the fire...well snuggled up together by the fire.

Jean smiles at the sight. It was really heart-warming to see how much Jonathan and Martha still loved each other.

The couple look up at the arrival of their guests.

"Mr and Mrs Kent," Scott addresses them. "This is my brother Alex," he introduces the blond-haired boy with pride. "Alex this is Jonathan and Martha Kent."

Alex steps forward and offers his hand to both. "Nice to meet you. Scott has said nothing but praise," he speaks the truth about what Scott has said about them whenever he and his brother talk.

The Kents in turn shake the boy's hand.

"It's very nice to meet you as well," Martha expresses both her and Jonathan's sentiment.

"So what brings you here?" Jonathan asks.

"Oh you know. Just missed shooting the pier with my big bro, you know what I mean."

Since neither Martha and Jonathan speak surfer not really.

Scott shakes his head. "Alex, try and tone down the surfer lingo," he advises.

"Right," Alex accepts he probably will have to do that. "Anyway as I was saying I just came to visit my bro...and you know give my folks some time to cool off after I put another hole in the wall," he admits, rather embarrassed by that.

Jonathan and Martha smile good-naturedly at that. It's happened a lot of times here.

"You put a hole in the wall?" Scott queries.

Alex holds his hands up. "Come on, bro. Give me a break. I can't wear anything over these to hold my power back," he points out since he generates red crimson blasts, similar to Scott's, through his hands instead of his eyes.

"How did it happen?" Jean wonders.

Alex begins to tell the story while near the fire a little purple creature uncurls itself. Lockheed yawns, sniffs the air and picks up the new unknown scent. He stretches out his wings and flaps them and rises into the air to investigate the new smell and comes right up behind Alex.

"Alex. Don't turn..." is all Scott manages before Alex does that very thing; turn around.

Alex lets out a cry of surprise, trips backward and a beam of crimson energy flies from his hands, thankfully missing everyone but shattering the vase above the fireplace.

"Alex," Scott groans.

"Hey. That...that thing startled me!" Alex defends himself. "What is it?"

"It's Lockheed," Jonathan answers. He then whistles softly. "Lockheed. Come here, boy," he summons the dragon who flies over and lands on Jonathan's lap. "He's Kitty's pet dragon."

Scott is helping Alex up by now. "Dude, you have a pet dragon?" he queries that.

"He's Kitty's pet," Scott says in reply.

"And you never mentioned this why?"

"Would you have believed me if I went over the phone, 'oh hey Alex, by the way, we found a little purple dragon and Kitty is keeping him as her pet'?"

"Um...you might have a point there, bro," Alex concedes he probably would have thought Scott was pulling his leg.

Martha scratches the top of Lockheed's head. "Claire is suppose to be watching him while Kitty's away home at her parent's."

"Where is Claire?" Jonathan asks, now Martha is mentioning the girl. He hadn't seen her in awhile.

"I saw her and Wanda heading off and chatting. Not sure where they were going," Martha replies. She shrugs. "I'm sure they're fine. They could do with some time together to improve their friendship."

"I suppose you're right," Jonathan agrees. After all as long as they were in the mansion it wasn't likely they could get into too much trouble.

* * *

**New York Mental Institution...**

Night had fallen and in the grounds, behind some bushes, a scarlet red portal appears in the air and coming tumbling out are two figures. One in a long scarlet red coat with the same colour top that looks like a cross between a vest and a waistcoat, black jeans and black boots. The other is similarly dressed only her coat is a mixture of flame reds and oranges with a red vest top, red pants and orange boots.

The Scarlet Witch and Volcana have arrived and the flame haired coloured girl is cursing up a storm at the rough landing.

"Sweet fucking Jesus, don't you practice that?" Volcana wants to know.

"It's just the landings that need work. My aim's a lot better," Wanda defends herself. "Now how about you get the fuck off me!" she demands as Volcana is sitting on her.

Claire gets up followed by Wanda and they dust themselves off.

"So what prompted the costume change?" Claire asks since Wanda use to just wear this all one red bodysuit really with tears in it.

Wanda shrugs. "Just felt like a change. Something more...down to earth," is all she can really say to explain it.

Wanda moves forwards and parts the bushes back and there it is. The horribly utilitarian building that haunts her dreams. Why, oh why is a place designed to help the mentally ill so depressing looking Wanda will never understand.

Claire crouches down next to the witch. "So you up for this?"

"Yeah," Wanda says, although not with any enthusiasm in her voice but she was determined to confront this.

"How do we get in?" Clark asks to see if Wanda knows of a way.

"I know a few ways to sneak in. I did try to escape more than once," she answers, indicating that she, in her escape attempts, learned of a few blackspots in the security and a few hidden away places inside. "This way," she says, signalling for Claire to follow her.

Claire supposes she should find it worrying how easily she and Wanda manage to get inside. Ok sure it takes Wanda hexing a few locks but still...

Anyway they use the basement entrance and traverse the dark, dingy, spooky sub-level. Wanda's ease of going exactly where they need to shows how much she was telling the truth about having tried to escape.

Claire can see Wanda is immensely tense by her body posture.

Wanda fights to keep it together. This place...the memories it stirs...no it won't beat her. She has to beat it. Wanda is not crazy. She was never crazy. She never should have been here. This is her showing it to everyone how sane she is.

_'Right. You're going to prove your sanity by breaking into a mental institution looking for a doll they probably threw away years ago,' _a cynical voice in her head drawls.

"Shut up," Wanda mutters at the voice. She climbs some steps with Claire right behind her. Wanda hexes the lock open and cracks the door open, peering down the familiar looking corridor that brings more unpleasant memories back of her being manoeuvred along, in a straight jacket using those poles attached to the jacket.

"We can still turn back," Claire says, in case Wanda can't do this.

"No. I've got this," Wanda insists determinedly. Wanda tried to time this carefully. The orderlies gather together to collect the patients' dinners meaning there is a minimum chance of them patrolling the corridors. "Come on," she says to Claire.

The two girls sneak along the corridor sticking close to the wall and trying to avoid the light as much as possible.

It's all going well right up until they turn the last corner before the storage area. The two girls come face to face with two orderlies.

One of them recognises Wanda. "Maximoff!"

Wanda's eyes narrow. "You. I remember you but I'm not that scared little girl any more you can bully."

The two men draw what are truncheons

"Seriously?" Claire asks. "I thought they banned stuff like that," she says. "Have you two never read up on your health and safety?"

"Give up Maximoff," the one man she knows says.

Wanda raises her hands which glow scarlet red. "You really don't listen to me. I'm not the girl you can bully any more," she says, her voice laced with dangerous anger. She speaks a spell and the truncheons are enveloped by two small hex-spheres and transform into balloons which then pop, startling the two men. "Now how about you run before I do the same to your other truncheons," she advises.

"What are you on about?"

"The ones in your underpants," Wanda says with this dark, almost evil gleam in her eye.

The two men are confused for a moment until they get it and their eyes widen in fear. "Now take it easy Maximoff," they say, trying not to startle her.

Wanda's hands glow intensely. "You have till the count of 3 to get out of my sight! 1!..."

"2!..." Claire adds, raising her hands and forming a ball of fire within each.

The two men run for it.

"Well that was enjoyable," Claire comments with relish as she lets the fireballs extinguish.

Wanda would go with more cathartic but yeah.

Just then an alarm sounds.

"And of course they just have to hit the alarm don't they," Claire complains. "Look I'll keep them busy. You go do what you have to," she offers.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," Claire assures Wanda as her hair transform into fire and she flies off.

Wanda runs forward. The door she wants is just here on her right. She hexes it open and steps inside. Inside are shelves with lots and lots of boxes of stored items. Looks like they're alphabetically stored so Maximoff is...

* * *

In his office the Institute's chief psychiatrist, an overweight, middle-aged man called Dr McKenzie, was simply reviewing case files when the alarm goes off. Two agitated...and frankly scared to death looking men barge in.

"What is happening?" Dr McKenzie wants an answer.

"It's Maximoff. She's broken in along with some other fire generating mutie freak," one of the men answers.

Dr McKenzie is shocked. Wanda...she had been his most difficult case. He gets to his feet. "Come with me," he orders as he heads for the exit.

"What?" the two men ask at the same time.

Dr McKenzie looks at them sternly. "Show me where you saw her...now!" he snaps.

The two orderlies do as told and Dr McKenzie follows them back to the corridor. As he reaches there he spots her exiting the storage room with a box in hand. "Wanda!" he calls out to her.

Wanda spins on the spot. "Dr McKenzie," she recognises him. "Tell me what did my father have on you to get you to keep me here?" she demands to know because she wasn't sick. Therefore her father must have arranged something.

"Your father had nothing to do with it, Wanda. You were sick. You were suffering acute mental trauma caused by your mother's death," Dr McKenzie rationally explains her presence.

Wanda's face tightens and her voice grows angry and hate-filled. "The only trauma I have ever received is having Magneto for my father. Did you know he's Magneto, Doctor?"

"It is irrelevant Wanda," Dr McKenzie says to her and spots two more orderlies sneaking up behind her. Keep her busy. Keep her distracted. "My job was simply to help you. That's why I allowed Professor Xavier to visit you. Don't you remember that? All I desired was to see you well," he sounds soothing, understanding.

"But I wasn't sick," Wanda insists. "What did my father do? Pay you off? Threaten your family? What did he offer you to take his own daughter off his hands because he couldn't be bothered to take care of her?!" she almost screams in fury.

Dr McKenzie sighs. "Still haven't dealt with your anger I see," he says sadly.

"Oh this is not me angry. If I was truly angry this building wouldn't be still standing," she states with remarkable calmness.

"Wanda...now!" Dr McKenzie orders the 2 orderlies to jump her.

They do...and pass right through her as if she is a ghost.

The all look in utter confusion at the figure still standing there, smirking.

"Astral projection," Wanda explains the trick. "Neat isn't it. I was never here to discuss anything with you, Doctor. I was simply here to reclaim what is mine. If you value your mental health you will do well never to seek me out because if you do you will know the wrath of the Scarlet Witch," she promises somewhat darkly. The image then fades away.

The 5 men stare in silence at the now empty space before laughter erupts from a nearby cell. One of the orderlies goes over and bangs on the door. "Silence, Brock!" he orders.

Brock laughs anyway. "Hoo, boy she suckered you guys in good."

Dr McKenzie's face puckers in anger. "That's enough Edward," he tells the patient sternly.

"Yeah, whatever," the sullen voice says. Edward 'Eddie' Brock, a tall, well-built man with blond hair sinks back onto his bed. Take away his few small enjoyments in life why don't they. They all think he is crazy anyway. Eddie is not crazy though. No. He did have another who was joined to him closer than they can ever understand...and Spider-Man took it away from him!

Spider-Man...Peter Parker...a day would come. Eddie had sworn it. He didn't know how exactly but somehow, some way he would get his 'Other' back and then...then Venom would live again!

* * *

Outside, the real Wanda watches as Claire torments a few of the security guards flying around them making them dive left and right for cover. She hits one on the butt cheek with a fireball and he screams like a girl. "Strike!" Claire cheers.

Wanda smiles. It meant a lot that Claire did this with her. She briefly looks down at the box of her possessions. It feels like she claimed a small piece of her life back today.

Claire lands next to the girl in scarlet red. "Well fellas it's been fun but we have to book! Bye, bye now!" Claire then blows them a kiss which turns into a stream of fire that surrounds them, trapping them there.

"I didn't know you could do that," Wanda comments at that trick.

"Ha! That's nothing. You see the heat of the kisses I save for Marie," she proclaims with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows.

"I didn't need to know that," Wanda says dryly.

Claire gives Wanda the finger. "Can we go now?"

Wanda rolls her eyes before she chants her spell and the girls vanish into a scarlet red portal. Mission accomplished, demons faced, possessions reclaimed. For Wanda Maximoff this counts are one of the better days of her life.

* * *

_Author's Note: I tossed it back and forth a few times whether this was the moment to bring in Psylocke and then decided that they really need another telepath on their side so here comes Betsy. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; everyone returns from their vacation and Claire makes an important decision on the direction of her life._


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

It's the Friday after New Year that the students start to return. Hank left 1st thing in the x-jet to go retrieve Amara from Nova Roma. Logan didn't go as he wished to stay close to Rogue who, in his view, was still not dealing right with what had happened to her. He was still running her through the Danger Room every day and, this is how he knows she ain't right, she hasn't complained once.

Since their little escapade at the New York Mental Institution Claire and Wanda had bonded and Wanda had managed to find that balance about where she fits into the dynamic now with Clark and Claire. It was almost like being part of a family again...and despite Claire's language and Clark's sheer weirdness it was a hell of a lot better then her own blood family.

Wanda would be leaving for Dr Strange's on Saturday so this was her last full day at the mansion and she was sad about it but knew her place was there where she could continue to learn and explore her magical abilities.

Tomorrow would also be when Alex would be heading home so Scott was determined to enjoy his last full day with his brother. The two had been basically inseparable since Alex got here as they tried to catch up on many a lost year of brotherly time together.

Tomorrow was also the day when all the new arrivals would be here. Give them a day and a bit to settle in before school resumes on Monday.

Storm and Evan had returned during the morning. They were the 1st back. Storm's first instinct had been to go see Logan and try and assist him with Rogue. Evan tried not to think too much of exactly what his aunt and Logan did.

At lunchtime Claire is in the kitchen having her own lunch and feeding Lockheed. "You keep eating this much you're going to get fat, little guy," she gently critiques the dragon as he eats a whole chicken leg in one gulp. "Then again I guess we can't blame you for liking mom's cooking. It is the best," she can excuse him.

"Thank you, honey," Martha says gratefully as she works on her own lunch.

Claire smiles at her mother. "Well it is true."

"Flattery gets you everywhere...except off the hook for sneaking off with Wanda," Martha says calmly. Yes, those 2 girls did get a telling off for that.

Claire's face falls. "I was just trying to help Wanda," she defends herself.

"That's fine sweetie. Sneaking out without telling someone is not," Martha lays down the rules. It is the rules of the Institute. It you're going out, let someone know.

Claire guesses she really needs to start adjusting to being part of a family.

Suddenly Lockheed perks up, flaps his wings and rises off the table. The door flies open.

"Hi little guy! Mommy's back!" Kitty announces her return.

Lockheed flies like a little purple missile into Kitty's arms and starts licking her face making her giggle.

"Cut it out, Lockheed," she says between giggles. "I missed you too."

Kitty lifts Lockheed onto her shoulder.

"Hello Kitty," Martha greets the girl. "Have a nice Christmas?"

"Hi Mrs Kent," Kitty returns the greeting. "Yeah. It was good."

"Your parents fine?"

"As can be expected...although daddy like totally gave me the Spanish inquisition treatment over Peter," she complains.

"Fathers tend to be overprotective when it comes to their daughters."

"Yeah, well I just hope he was joking about wanting to fly to New York and like meet Peter in person."

Claire chuckles. "He probably wasn't."

"Don't you start," Kitty says. "Isn't is enough that no-good brother of yours...no offence Mrs Kent...says stuff like that."

"Hey that's the best entertainment of the day."

Kitty makes her not scary at all scowly face. "Where is Clark?"

"Probably on the phone to his girlfriend again," Claire says with a roll of her eyes.

"Girlfriend?" Kitty queries, her whole face lighting up in interest. She sits herself down and places her chin in her hands. "Please. Continue. What girlfriend would this be?" she wants to know, her inner gossip needing fed.

Claire opens her mouth but never manages to say a word.

"Don't listen to her," Clark says about his sister as he walks in. "I keep telling you, Claire," he continues, slightly annoyed at the way she keeps harping on about his 'girlfriend'. "Andrea is not my girlfriend."

"_Andrea_?" Kitty repeats the name with interest, over-pronouncing the word. "Sounds exotic."

Clark silently groans. Now Kitty has this idea in her head he'll never hear the end of it. "Don't listen to Claire. Andrea is only a friend."

"Right," Claire snorts. "That's why you talk to her like at least 3 times a day."

"I do not!" Clark protests, sounding annoyed. In fact he wouldn't have had the time to speak to Andrea 3 times a day. He had taken advantage of the holidays to spend as much time as he could up at the Fortress learning. It was really, really interesting discovering his people's history and his mind...Clark could feel it slowly healing. Kal and Kal-El's voices were starting to become quieter and less distinct from his own.

"Although I find it interesting you find an interest in a girl with superstrength shortly before your ex-girlfriend ends up with the same powers," Claire comments at the weird coincidence.

"Huh?" Kitty says, utterly lost.

Kitty's lost expression can only mean one thing. "You didn't tell her about Rogue yet?" Clark asks his sister.

"It was on my list, right after tell her about Clark's girlfriend," Claire says, her shit eating grin firmly in place.

"What about Rogue?" Kitty asks, with worry something may have happened to her besty.

Clark draws breath and tries to summarise it as distinctly as possible about how Rogue absorbing him has created these organs that has given her superstrength and durability. He makes sure to mention his concern that she doesn't seem to be handling it as she should.

Kitty's brow furrows deeply as her mind absorbs this. It was so weird. "Where is Rogue?" she asks, now eager to check up on her friend.

"I think she was showering and changing before coming down for lunch," Martha fills in what she knows. "She's probably up in her room."

"I'll go check on her," Kitty decides. She exits the kitchen only for her head to pop back in a moment later. "Oh Claire, we'll talk about this Andrea later, right?"

Claire looks up at her brother and her grin grows as he gives her a glare trying to intimidate her into saying nothing. "Definitely."

"I am so disowning you," Clark mutters before he turns, almost theatrically, and marches out the other door.

Claire has to admit there are some major perks to being a sister.

Clark walks away muttering a few unpleasantries about his sister under his breath. He is not interested...well ok he is interested in Andrea. He admits it but he's convinced himself it was what Chloe was saying. It's a rebound thing. Proof is like this. Before he learned they were the same person he found himself feeling a spark to both sides of Andrea.

He's just trying to get back what he lost with Rogue. He read that somewhere that is what rebounds are about. It's about trying to get back that stability you had when you were in a relationship by jumping straight back into another one.

Anyway the interest will fade. In the meantime he'll be the friend Andrea needs.

"Hey, Clark!" someone calls out to him.

Clark stops, turns and spots Ray's back. "Hey, Ray."

Ray runs up to him. "Can I have a word...in private?" he asks.

Clark wonders what this is about. He and Ray weren't the closest of friends. "Sure," he agrees.

They find an empty sitting room and Clark folds his arms across his chest and waits while Ray does a double check that they're alone.

Clark rolls his eyes. "Ray. I know if we're alone or not," he points out.

"Right," Ray says, feeling kinda stupid. Of course Clark would know. "Ok...it's about the Morlocks."

"Is there a problem I should know about?" Clark asks back.

"You know about them!" Ray cries. "That's the problem."

"Yes," Clark confirms, his voice deathly calm.

"No-one is suppose to know."

"Didn't you ask them?"

"Well, yeah but I wanted your side."

"Ray, you know their habits. They venture up to look for food. I go out and patrol around Bayville. Considering my speed and the area I can cover is it really a surprise I bumped into them?"

"Suppose not," Ray concedes.

"It's like what they probably told you. I heard a commotion and found a gang picking on someone...who turned out to be Lucid."

"They never mentioned the gang bit," Ray says with a frown, a mixture of confused and annoyed.

"You know Callisto," is all Clark has to say to explain that.

"True," Ray concedes. "So what happened?"

"Well after I sent the gang packing I managed to get Lucid to explain where he came from and of the Morlocks. He took me down into the sewer and I got the full _warmth_ of Callisto's greetings."

"How hard did she hit you?"

"Hard enough that she lost all feeling in her hand for an hour. At least she learned never to try that again. Anyway we talked, she mentioned you and the Professor coming for you and I got her reasons why they live down there when, if I understand it, the Professor offered them the choice to come live up here in the mansion and they refused."

"They feel they're outcasts, even amongst mutants."

"They're wrong."

"Yeah but you'll never convince them of that."

"Yes. I am familiar with Callisto's stubborn streak."

The expression on Clark's face tells Ray that's very true. "That's why you just drop the food off," he gets.

"Oh I tried arguing with her. Believe me I did try. In the end I decided I would just help them whether they like it or not. Supermarkets in this town throw out more every day than they could ever eat. I just collect it up and drop it off at the door. After that it's up to them."

"I assume Callisto made you promise to keep them a secret."

"We made a deal. I keep their secret. They stay out of trouble. If they break the law or threaten innocents our deal is off and I stop them just like anyone else. Otherwise I leave them be."

Ray supposed that sounded fair.

"Does that answer everything?" Clark asks about Ray's queries.

Ray does a quick mental check. "Just one more. Why? Why do you help even when they refused?"

"Because it is within my power to do so. That's what my power is for, Ray. To help those that need it."

"Alright," Ray accepts that. He can do little else.

"I have a question. Did Torpid like the doll I got her?"

Ray smiles at the image of Torpid he has seen these last few days. The simple thing had made her so happy. "Yes. She liked it."

"I'm glad," Clark says genuinely.

* * *

"Knock, knock!"

Every time. Every time Kitty has to do that 'knock, knock' routine. It's lucky Rogue is her friend. "Hey, Kitty," the Goth greets her friend.

Kitty enters Rogue's room. Her friend is just finishing changing...and Kitty can't help but note now she can control her powers Rogue's clothes are starting to show more skin. The fishnet top is gone leaving the green vest-top and the leggings are gone as well leaving Rogue in her skirt and her legs bare. "Hi Rogue. So...I heard...like about your powers. How's it going?"

Rogue makes a face. "Better if everyone would stop askin' meh 'how's it going?'," she complains, fed up of the constant asking of that question or questions like it.

"Rogue, people are only worried about you," Kitty tries to make her friend see that. "It's natural."

"Maybeh it is but ah keep tellin' them ah'm fahne. Maybeh they should listen ta meh."

Ok. It could just be Kitty but for someone who says she is fine Rogue seems grumpy...grumpier than usual Kitty means. "Did you let Kurt know?" Kitty wonders.

"Ah sent him a text."

Kitty arches an eyebrow. "A text?" she queries because that seems a little impersonal to drop such a thing on your brother.

Rogue shrugs. "He doesn't get great phone reception at his parents' house," is her explanation.

"Ok so I won't ask you how you're doing but have you managed to get a handle on your powers?" Kitty tries to rephrase her question.

"Yeah."

"Just, yeah?"

"Yep."

"Yep?"

"Yes."

"Ye...are you, like, messing with me?"

Rogue's lips start to quirk into a grin. "No. Ah would nevah do that," she drawls with all her sarcastic flare.

Kitty's eyes narrow. "Seriously, Rogue?"

"Seriously, ah've been working in tha Danger Room hard, Kitty. Ah've got this," she assures her friend.

Kitty looks at Rogue's bedside table where there are the smashed remnants of an alarm clock. She knows this because she has seen it before in Clark's room. "You've got this, huh?" she queries sceptically.

"What? Clark does that at least once a month. You don't question him," Rogue says, almost taking offence.

"Clark's been controlling his powers since the day he arrived on Earth. You've had yours just over a week," Kitty lays out the difference.

"So?"

Kitty looks back at the door and eyes something she noticed earlier. The knob is misshapen...like it has been slightly crushed by a superstrong hand. It's not really adding to her confidence that Rogue's got this. In fact Peter told her that after he got his superstrength he was crushing and breaking things for weeks until he really got a complete grip on it. Therefore Kitty, she afraid, has to doubt what Rogue is saying...and she doesn't want to doubt her friend but the evidence to the contrary is in front of her eyes.

Speaking of Peter...they agreed, whole day tomorrow just the two of them...short of some world ending disaster. Kitty can't wait to see him.

* * *

During the course of the afternoon more of the students start to arrive back in trickles of ones, twos and threes.

Upon her return Amara makes a beeline for finding Clark. According to Mr Kent he is here and not out patrolling...or whatever the term is for what he does as Superman.

Amara tracks him down to his room where he is sitting...hovering in a seated position above his bed, speaking on the phone. "Bad time?" she queries.

Clark raises his index finger to indicate, just a minute. "Andrea," he says. "I'm afraid I'll have to call you back. Someone needs to speak to me, ok?...Ok, bye."

Clark ends the call. "Hi, Amara. Welcome back."

"Hi Clark. Um, Clark, you're floating," she points out, using her finger to point at the gap beneath him.

"It happens," Clark has just come to accept it.

"Still not learned to control it?"

Clark shrugs. "Keep a secret?"

Amara nods to indicate, yes.

"I've given up trying."

Amara is befuddled by that. "What? Why?"

"Physically we both know I can fly. It's a psychological block, therefore. I am simply, on some subconscious level, not ready to. When I am ready, the power is there, waiting."

"Patience," Amara murmurs what she heard when she was praying.

"What about it?" Clark asks.

Amara mentally curses herself for forgetting Clark's hearing. "Um...I was saying, patience. That's what I've decided to be with my powers. You know, like you were saying, when I'm ready, whatever power I actually have is there, waiting."

Clark nods, agreeing with her position. "Jor-El basically said the same thing to me."

"Really?" Amara queries with interest since she believes it was Jor-El that talked to her on Nova Roma.

"Yeah. I asked him about it...about my flying problems and he said it was an issue I had to find my own solution to. I think it's another trial or something," Clark thinks, making a small face. Jor-El's trials usually aren't fun for him. He changes track. "So what was it you wanted to see me about?" he asks about why she is here.

"Oh, yes," Amara says with a sly smile. "I just wanted to tell you all about the temple my people are building for you."

"Temple?!" Clark chokes. "Tell me you're joking," he begs her.

Amara smiles sweetly. "Well it's more an annex onto the side of your father's temple."

Clark drops his head into his hands. "This is not happening," he mumbles.

Amara is barely holding back her laughter at his reaction. "Sorry, Clark."

He looks at her. "You don't sound sorry," he points out at her amused tones.

"What did you expect? For my people, that day you were there, it was literally as if a God chose to walk amongst them. That's a very profound experience," Amara summarises what she had felt being amongst her people these last almost 2 weeks.

"Oh Blessed Rao," Clark utters his own prayer for this not to be happening. He wanted some way to make them see what he truly was. Not entrench their belief further in him being a Deity.

Amara knows she shouldn't find Clark's mortified expression funny. After all she will admit to herself he is a God...albeit one she considers her friend...but the bottom line Amara should not be laughing at her God...but she is anyway. Impulsively she hops on the bed next to him and kisses his cheek. "Sorry," she apologises again. "You're just going to have to live with it."

Clark gives her a forlorn look. One day he'll have to get the Nova Romans to see him as he is. In a way that doesn't destroy their faith.

"So," Amara says as she slides back off the bed. "Who was that you were talking to just then? Who is this Andrea?" she asks, her curiosity peaked.

"Just a friend," Clark snaps, a little too sharply, a response to all of Claire's teasing.

Amara arches an eyebrow. His reaction seems to indicate something else. Now what has been going on around here since she left?

* * *

By night-time most of the students are back. Kurt had been, like everyone else, a little off-put by Rogue's reaction to her power gain.

Paige had been gushing all about her new little sister and even though Sam wasn't gushing he was clearly happy to have this new addition to his family.

Clark is just getting ready to go out for the evening...as in putting on his Superman costume and going out and making some criminals' lives miserable.

He is interrupted by a knock on his door. "Come in, Claire," he permits her.

Claire opens the door, a slightly perturbed expression on her face at how he knew it was her.

Clark raises an eyebrow at her appearance. She is in that costume of hers. The red vest-top, pants, orange boots and red and orange coat. "Going somewhere?"

Claire looks unusually unsure of herself. "Well, actually, I was hoping with you."

Clark just turns to face her full on, confused. "Why?"

"Clark...do you remember the day I came here?"

"You blew up Avalanche's Jeep on top of me."

"And having come to know you I'm not the least bit sorry about that," she jokes. "No, my point is I only stayed to hide from Lionel. No offence to the Professor but it wasn't because I believed in fighting for human/mutant equality."

Clark cocks his head slightly but saves comment for now.

"Look, it's all noble and right and all that crap but it still isn't why I'm here. I came back for mom."

Which is a perfectly justifiable reason as well.

"But...when I stopped Andrea I felt something...I can't describe it. It just felt...right."

Clark smiles. "I know that feeling."

"Since then I've really thought about what that meant."

"And?" Clark queries for her conclusion.

"I don't know...but I want to try and find out and to do that I believe I have to do what you do," Claire gives him the conclusion she has reached about what she thinks she needs to do. "You did say I should try and turn my pain into a positive," she reminds him.

"That, I did," Clark confirms he remembers it. "Claire, I won't try and dissuade you from this if it is what you really want."

"It is."

"However, this life is no picnic. You are also not bulletproof like I am," he expresses a couple of his concerns.

Claire places her finger down the top of her vest and pulls it out a little. "Same fabric as the uniforms...or didn't you notice how it didn't burn when I was using my powers."

"I noticed." The uniforms are also...not quite bulletproof. The made of a material with an unstable molecular structure. They absorb energy...like the kinetic energy of a bullet but a straight shot at close enough range will get through.

"And Clark I grew up in Suicide Slums. You really don't think I don't know what I'll see?" she asks him rhetorically. Her bet is she has seen worse than he has.

"Try going a few rounds with the Prankster then get back to me on that one," he says with an expression that shows how much he loathed that guy...and how disturbing a week that was.

"The who?" Claire asks. She had been at Frost's when Clark met the Prankster.

"Just this supervillain I came across. Brilliant man but a total loon."

"Uh huh, ok," Claire says at a loss what else to say.

"I suppose I could mention secret identity but that's a mute point for you," he means in relation to the fact she doesn't hide her mutant status.

"Actually not really," Claire argues with him. "Think about it. How many people actually know who I really am? Until Christmas I didn't legally exist."

"Shaw, Emma, the Hellions," Clark lists a few.

"Ok they're an issue I admit but generally most people have only seen Volcana. Claire Selton, daughter of Martha Kent, is going to be different."

"I'm lost," Clark just admits it. He has no idea what she is on about.

"Look since we discovered who I am there really hasn't been anyone who has seen me and we've told them who I am...beyond people we trust," she modifies that before Clark contradicts her.

Clark pauses a minute. Beyond the aforementioned Hellfire Club that's true. He mention Claire to Lois but it was only in passing. He never gave Lois much detail on who it was.

Claire pulls her coat sleeve up on her left arm and hits a switch on her watch. Her image flickers and changes. A holowatch.

Clark looks at her. Her hair...its shade. It's gone from fiery orange to the more auburn red of their mother. Her eyes have shifted from orange to green...and her face. It's very subtle but there are just a few minor alterations to her features.

Claire digs out the last bit of this from her pocket. A pair of glasses she slips on her face. "This is the Claire Selton everyone will meet when I go to school on Monday. Volcana will be the mutant who goes out at night and is in no way the same person."

Clark could see what she meant now. Still he has to wonder how Shaw and Emma will react. They could expose her...but why would they? In the end, since Claire is Shaw's daughter, that would only bring attention upon him he wouldn't want...since he is, you know, a member of some super secret organisation. "When did you come up with all this?" he asks because to get the holowatch meant she had to have talked to the Professor about this which Clark never noticed.

"Since Christmas. I guess you were too busy chatting up your girlfriend to notice."

"I keep telling you, Andrea is not my girlfriend," Clark insists, once again.

And yet Claire doesn't quite believe him. However that's a debate for later. "I realised that if I do this it could make trouble for mom and Jonathan. I do get the whole idea behind a secret identity."

"So it will just be Claire Selton, long lost _human_ daughter of Martha Kent come Monday?"

"Yep."

"Does Marie know you're doing this?"

"I'll tell her tomorrow," Claire decides...because that is when Marie gets back. "It'll be a surprise!"

"Except for the part where she is a clairvoyant I'm sure it will be," Clark puts a downer on his sister's enthusiasm since it is quite likely Marie saw this in her cards.

"Screw you!"

"As enticing an offer as that may be I'll pass thanks," Clark says dryly. "So you really want to do this? Come out with me?" he asks her one last time just to be certain it is what she desires to do.

"Yes," Claire asserts confidently.

"You won't be saying that in 5 minutes, trust me."

"Why not?"

"Oh you'll see," Clark says coyly.

* * *

**New York...**

"Please tell me you didn't teach her the secret handshake," a figure in a red and blue webbed pattern costume, sticking to a wall, pleads.

"I didn't teach her the secret handshake. She hasn't earned that privilege yet," Clark assures his crime-fighting partner as he stands on the ledge next to Peter's gargoyle statue friend Bruce.

Claire, her hair transformed, hovers there in the air, her arms folded across her chest looking with incredulity at the 2 heroes. Apparently tonight was the night Clark hangs out with Spider-Man and he has just finished explaining what she is doing here.

"However," Clark continues, "if she is going to be a hero I thought why not bring her along, meet the world famous Spider-Man and learn from the best."

"Aw shucks. I'm blushing," Spider-Man fawns modesty at the praise. "Ok then...uh..." he fishes for a name.

"Volcana," Claire snaps. Clark mentioned that already.

"Volcana. Volcy...Ana...firebug..."

"What are you babbling about?" Claire asks him.

"I'm trying to come up with a nickname. Everyone good hero needs a nickname. I'm Spidey. He's Supes. Daredevil's DD."

"Logan calls her Firefly," Clark not so helpfully, from Claire's POV, suggests.

"Hmm I hate to use other people's names."

"Volcana. It's Volcana," Claire insists on what she wants to be called.

"That's not what Marie calls you when she is whispering in your ear," Clark points out with an easy, teasing grin.

Claire blushes bright red. She hadn't been aware Clark had ever heard Marie's nickname for her.

"What is it Marie calls her?" Spider-Man asks.

"I..." Clark starts and then stops at the look his sister is giving him.

Claire glares at him and the fire that is currently her hair grows brighter.

"Ok, shutting up now," Clark decides.

"Good idea," Claire tells him in frosty tones. "Or I could tell him what you and your girlfriend call each other."

"What girlfriend? I thought you and Rogue broke up?" Spider-Man thought.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Clark insists...again. "Will you stop saying that," he growls at his sister.

"I will...as soon as it's true," she says with that annoying smirk of hers...or to Clark it just seems particularly annoying at the minute.

Under his mask Peter is grinning but not laughing, although only just. He does make a mental note to get more details on why Volcana is saying Clark has a girlfriend and why Clark's reaction is so strong. That's for later. Right now he has to deal with his surprise partner for the evening. When Clark showed up with Volcana Peter was surprised but if she genuinely wants to do this he won't dissuade her. However, Peter would never try and persuade anyone into doing this hero shtick either. It's not a career choice that comes with any(read next to none) benefits and lots and lots of hassle, grief and soul destroying heartache but as his Uncle always said...ooh that's a good start-up line for advice. "Ok so firehead girl, first piece of advice if we're going to do this. Always keep in mind the following; with great power comes great responsibility."

"Firehead girl?" Volcana queries, with narrowed, literally blazing eyes.

"Firehair girl?"

"It's Volcana! V-O-L-C-A-N-A. Volcana! How hard is that to remember?"

"I'm sure it'll sink in," Spider-Man says lightly. "Now lets just go out there and I'll give you the rest of the rules along the way. Follow me!" he says as he leaps off the wall, fires a webline and swings off through the city.

"Ok my advice," Clark says. "Apart from that great power line just do the opposite of whatever he says. Well then lets get your 1st night on the road. Lets go...," Clark's lips curl up into a huge smirk, "Firehead Girl!" he proclaims as he leaps off the ledge he was standing on and glides over to the next roof.

Claire flies after him, yelling angrily. "It's Volcana! Volcana! What is the matter with you two that you can't call me that?!"

"We need a team name!" Spider-Man decides when they catch up with him. "Ooh I've got it you two can be the Spider-Friends!"

"NO!" Superman and Volcana reject.

"Spider-Pals!"

"NO!"

"Spider-Chums!"

"HELL NO!"

* * *

_Author's Note: It's Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends! No, really it is. Claire is Firestar and since Clark can freeze things with his breath he can take Iceman's place. That line about Jor-El telling Clark he has to figure out how to fly on his own is because I want to save Clark's first flight for a really pivotal moment. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the new students arrive._


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The next morning most of the faculty of the Xavier Institute were gathered this chilly Saturday morning awaiting the arrival of the new students. Alex had already gotten his cab and was away. Scott was feeling quite down about that.

Marie had gotten back 1st thing this morning and right now...well she wasn't here. She and Claire were...ahem, catching up. There was kissing and making-out involved. Clark didn't want to know.

As for Claire's first night of heroics...well her quippage needs work and she needs to up her tolerance of Spider-Man's endless babble...and she got her first experience of Parker luck.

Ok long story short they ran across the Fantastic Four where the famous 4 heroes in blue were battling a new villain for them called the Mole Man. No really. That was his name.

Anyway the Mole Man had control over some sort of gigantic creature...hence called Giganto(Peter's oh so imaginative name for it). Well Superman, Spider-Man and Volcana arrived on the scene and that is when the problems really began.

* * *

**Flashback...**

Giganto had the Thing trapped under one of it's enormous feet. Superman raced in to assist him while Spider-Man and Volcana tried to help the other members of the Fantastic Four fight off Mole Man's other creatures called the Moloids. Creatures composed of what is almost a form of living mud. There was this almost seemingly unending army of them.

Superman gets his hands under Giganto's foot and with a monumental effort lifts it off of the Thing.

"Thanks, kid," Ben gives his gratitude as he gets himself up.

"How about you get the other foot and we give our friend here the old alley oops?" Superman suggests.

Ben nods and runs over to the other leg and grabs a hold. "On 3. 1...2...

"3!" they both say together and toss with all their strength the two legs trying to propel the giant creature upward. It lands on its back and Clark spots something. "You see that?" he asks the Thing.

"If ya mean the giant 10 storey creature, kid, he's hard to miss."

"No. That!" Superman repeats more forcefully, pointing at some sort of device at the base of the creature's neck.

Ben scratches his orange head. "That's odd. I'll give ya that."

"I wonder..." Superman starts. "I'll be back," he says, vanishes in a blur and returns with Mr Fantastic. "Sorry about the abrupt journey," he apologises.

Reed takes a minute to regain his senses. "Not at all...Superman?" he queries, recognising the kid from the stories in the Bugle.

"That's what they call me. Personally I was going for 'Slightly-Above-Average-Man' but somehow it never caught on."

Ben laughs.

"That," Superman points at the device. "Some sort of control device?"

Reed postulates that. He was wondering how this Mole Man was controlling the creature. "Could be. I would need to examine it to figure out how to disable how it without harming the creature. Can you and Ben hold it still for me?"

"Sure, Stretch. Ya want me to order dinner while I'm at it because I'm sure holding tiny here will be no issue whatsoever," Ben rolls off sarcastically. For someone so smart Reed could be so utterly dumb sometimes.

"Still easier than dealing with my ex," Superman grimly quips.

"Kid, don't even go there," Ben says, warning off any discussion in the area of former girlfriends, as he and Superman try to hold Giganto down while Reed stretches his body up to the device to try and figure it out.

Meanwhile with the others...

"Seriously I knew you were jealous of me but to go out and get yourself an inferior version is just totally pathetic," the Human Torch says to Spider-Man as he flies over the massed ranks of Moloids, laying down fire, trying to drive them back.

"And is it any wonder I don't write," Spider-Man retorts as he webs up some of the Moloids. He and the Human Torch don't get on...at all.

"Did he just call me inferior?" Volcana asks the Invisible Woman as she lays down a trail of fire, baking the creatures and forcing them back.

Susan is using her forcefields to scoop up the Moloids and throw them. She rolls her eyes at Johnny's remarks. "I apologise for him."

The Mole Man stands atop a wrecked car with an elaborate cane in one hand. He is a short, dumpy man in reality. "It matters not how many of you heroes come. The surface world will pay for its insults upon me!" he proclaims.

"Oh geez. The revenge gig, really?" Spider-Man asks. "You know its not like I don't hear that one every other day."

The Mole Man aims his cane at Spider-Man and an electrical discharges fires from the end of it.

Spider-Man flips backwards avoiding the blasts elegantly. He takes a bow. "I thank you. I'll be here all week!"

"Insolent bug."

"Arachnid. I'm an arachnid. One of these days I swear someone will get that right but hey lets not talk about me. Lets talk about you. Now I know many people may not think you're much to look at but I'm betting you're one of those 'sings like an angel' people, am I right?"

Mole Man seems genuinely caught off-guard by that comment. "Most people don't see through my appearance."

"And I can't say I blame them," Johnny not so helpfully says at this point.

"Oh ignore the flying fire hazard that all parents warn their kids about," Spider-Man says. "I mean I totally get it. I wear this mask and I get labelled a criminal. I mean really what is up with that? It's not like I don't save the world every other week or anything."

Jonny snorts. "Pft. The FF save it every other day. We saved the country from invasion from this Namor guy. What a tool!"

Susan's cheeks involuntary blush as the mention of Namor. He made no secret of the fact he desired her to be his queen(he's King of Atlantis you know) and despite her love for Reed she can't deny Namor stirred feelings within her.

Peter pinches the bridge of his nose. He is trying to talk the Mole Man into lowering his guard and the walking bonfire is not helping...at all!

Peter has a sudden inspiration. He needs to catch everyone off guard. As quick as flash he fires off his weblines...and wraps them around the flying Human Torch. He yanks the arrogant teen to the ground as his webbing starves Johnny's flames of oxygen putting him out.

"What the...hmmpf!" Johnny never finishes as Spider-Man webs his mouth closed.

"Finally! I can hear myself think again!" Spider-Man proclaims. "Ooh I forget to set Tivo. Damn!" he curses what he can remember now he can think again.

Everyone stops at what Spider-Man just did. Stops and stares so no-one is watching what Mr Fantastic, Superman and the Thing are up to.

"I...you...helped me?" Mole Man queries from Spider-Man.

"Nope. I'm just distracting you while the guy with superspeed snatches your cute little cane there."

"What?" Mole Man asks as a gust of wind and red/blue blur blows by him and he finds his cane gone.

Superman hands it to Mr Fantastic who deciphers it and deactivates the signal that control the Moloids who literally turn into a flow of mud that starts to pour down the sewers.

"No! No!" Mole Man cries in denial. "You'll pay for this. You'll all pay for this..."

Mole Man is stopped by the roar of Giganto.

"Oh yes. I also deactivated the control device you implanted," Reed informs him. "Now any reasonably aware lifeform tends to react negatively to being coerced into actions against its will."

"In other words are ya going to get it," Ben summarises it as Giganto advances on the Mole Man.

"Help me! Help me!" he begs as he backs up desperately.

"I suppose we have to," Superman says, sounding a tad reluctant.

"They would revoke our superhero licence if we didn't," Spider-Man points out.

"Susan, if you could," Reed requests.

Susan nods and wraps one of her invisible forcefields around Mole Man making him vanish from sight. With him out of sight Giganto turns and heads for the great big hole in the street he rose from in the first place.

"We just let it go?" Volcana asks as she comes into land beside her brother.

"It's a subterranean creature. It has no desire to be here," Reed states scientifically. "It was only Mole Man's device that enduced it to come up here. Now free it will simply return to its home."

"It's an innocent," Superman summarises it succinctly.

"Well put," Reed praises Superman's choice of wording.

With Giganto and the Moloids gone Spider-Man webs up the Mole Man for the police to deal with. "Another day, the city saved once again...and JJ will probably still blame it on me," Spider-Man laments the inevitable.

Susan, Reed and Ben come to stand around the webbed up Johnny.

"You know I shouldn't laugh," Susan says...says through barely repressed guffaws.

"Oh go ahead and laugh, Suzie. I know I will be," Ben declares with a loud, brash chortle.

Johnny's eyes narrow and he says something but it comes out as incomprehensible muffles.

"You better free him, Ben," Reed decides.

"Are ya sure, Stretch?" Ben asks, really asks. "I think it's an improvement on the team dynamic. After all who needs him. We could be the Fantastic Three!"

"Ooh Fantastic Three!" Spider-Man says, his voice sounding ecstatic. He snaps his fingers and points at his teammates. "What..."

"NO!" Superman and Volcana cut him off before he can even suggest it as another team name for them.

Reed shakes his head. "Ben, please."

Ben sighs. "Alright," he says a little reluctantly. He reaches down and with a little effort rips the webbing away.

"Finally!" Johnny complains. "And Fantastic Three! If we ever become that I think the 1st person we'll drop is the lump of orange play-doh!"

"You want to say that to my face, Matchstick?" Ben challenges him.

Johnny walks right up to Ben. "Any time twinkle-toes! I think if we need to drop dead-weight there's no-one heavier than you!"

"One of these days, your big mouth is going to get ya into a whole heap of Clobberin!" Ben swears.

"And here we go," Reed mutters in complaint to Susan.

Susan laughs and brings her head to rest on his shoulder. Johnny and Ben arguing is like the sun rising. It's just something that happens every day.

Reed looks at their 3 helpers having their own debate over a team name apparently. "He's very smart."

"Hmm?" Susan queries.

"Superman. When I was working on the device he suggested about just short-circuited the receiver, since it must have been radio controlled. That was much quicker than trying to remove the device and saved us a lot of time."

Susan look over at tall, well-built...well boy if she was to judge. She thinks he looks like someone in their late teens. Susan walks over to them. "I wish to say thank you for your assistance."

"That's no problem," Superman assures her. "Except for Spidey. On behalf of Volcana and myself I apologise for him," he quips with a smirk.

"Hey!" Spider-Man protests.

"Oh you know it's true...and I've only just met you and I agree on the apology," Volcana says.

Susan giggles.

"And these people are my friends," Spider-Man theatrically laments with a hand to his head.

"Well we should go," Superman decides. "It was very nice to meet you Ms Storm."

At the smile he flashes Susan can only smile back.

Johnny breaks away from his argument with Ben. "Well, so long," he says, not even sounding remotely like he means it. "Next time you need help just ask me. Don't bring the wannabe along. I mean she is only a girl!"

Superman winces. "He didn't just say that."

"He did," Spider-Man has to confirm.

Both boys look at Volcana, who like her name, is about to explode. She turns, marches up to Johnny and drives her knee where no knee should ever be driven on a man. Johnny falls to the ground clutching his two best friends as Volcana flicks her hair back and walks away, her head held high.

"Ok even I felt that one," Ben remarks, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Guess that means ya won't be meeting that date tonight," he says to Johnny who can only look up, tears in his eyes, unable to say anything as the unimaginable pain racks him.

* * *

**The Present...**

Clark shudders. Even he felt that blow of Claire's. Guess that means another team-up with the FF in the near future is unlikely.

"So, son," Clark's father addresses him. "Not going to the Fortress, today?" he asks about Clark's training.

"Later. I'm not missing this for the world," Clark replies, really looking forward to this. His head rises slightly as he hears a few cabs approach. "Here they come," he announces. That was good timing to have them all arrive together

"An hour," Ray says.

"Pft. 45 minutes," Tabby says to that.

"Nein. No more zhan 30 minutes," Kurt proposes.

"Nah," Kitty says. She was just staying long enough to meet the newcomers and then she was off to spend her day with Peter. "Since he's dating Storm's he's been going soft. I would, like, say 1 and a quarter."

"What is everyone on about?" Martha asks, for once having missed out on this topic.

Her son comes to the rescue. "They're betting how long before Logan throws the new arrivals into a Danger Room session," Clark explains.

"I see," Martha says dryly. Her gaze turns to who she knows is behind any sort of betting ring. "Robert?"

Bobby tries not to look her in the eye. "Yes, Mrs K?"

"Put me down for 90 minutes."

Bobby bursts into a wide grin. "Sure. No problem," he says as he notes it down in his little black betting book.

"Martha?" Jonathan queries at his wife.

Martha shrugs. "It's a little harmless fun." And she knows Logan is working on his bike this morning which is why she went for as long as 90 minutes.

The two cabs pulls up to the steps. First out of the front cab is Sean Cassidy.

"Sean, welcome back," Charles greets his old friend warmly.

"Aye. Nice t' see ye Charlie-boy. Happy New Year," Sean says.

"And to you too."

Sean is followed by his daughter Theresa. Terry had been really very excited about this. She had enjoyed it so much during her last short stay. The Professor welcomes her back.

"Rahne!" Jamie's very excited voice cries out as the red-haired girl steps out. He runs forward and hugs her.

Rahne smiles warmly. "Hi Jamie," she greets her best friend as she returns the hug. Maybe it's just the wolf in her needing the companionship of a pack but it feels nice to have Jamie's arms around her.

At this sight Paige folds her arms across her chest and looks huffy. It bothers her...though she can't quite figure out why it does.

The next person out of the 2nd cab shocks Scott. "Alex?"

"Surprise, bro!" Alex cheers with a smile.

"But you just left?"

"Just to down the road when I got him to come back when these guys passed by," Alex explains. Yeah, it was a big fake out to surprise his brother.

"You're staying?" Scott asks, hopeful that that is true.

Alex grows a bit more serious. "Yeah. I kinda need to. Remember what happened when Lockheed surprised me?"

Scott nods, remembering Alex's misfire.

"Well I've been misfiring a lot lately. Caused all sort of havoc."

"Havok, huh?" Domino repeats that, eyeing the blond boy. It may just be her but that sounds like a codename to her.

Alex looks guilty about it. His folks have had to patch up a lot of holes these last few months.

"I must take my share in this," the Professor speaks up. "I went along with Alex's wish to keep it a surprise."

"Well you certainly managed that," Scott can confirm but he can't be upset. "This is great, Alex," he expresses his true feelings at being permanently reunited with his little brother.

The next person out of the last cab makes everyone gasp. It's a pretty seventeen year old girl with purple hair and she had a kind of a punk look. Baggy black pants but with an orange top that showed off her stomach and had on jewellery like a few bracelets, rings, ear rings but nothing overly much.

Rogue is the one with the strongest reaction. Her face has gone deathly pale. "R-Risty?"

The girl looks at Rogue with a puzzled expression. She can sense a lot of emotions but they are strongest from this girl "Who?" she asks with a strong British accent. "I think you have me confused with someone else, luv."

Charles reaches out with his senses. "Elizabeth?" he queries. He hadn't seen her in years so he didn't know what she looked like. He could sense the young girl's mind so it definitely wasn't who it looked like.

The girl smiles broadly at seeing him. "Uncle Charley!" she greets him, happily. When she was younger she use to always call him that.

"Uncle Charley?!" the group on mass exclaim at hearing that.

Elizabeth bounds over to the Professor and gives him a hug. Then she picks up on all the emotions still swirling around. "Ok, what is going on?" she asks. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

Clark blinks. It wasn't Mystique. He could tell that instantly. Wrong heartbeat, wrong scent but apart from that she was a dead ringer.

Rogue snaps out of her shock. "What in tha hell is going on here?!" she demands to know, all her hurt and anger at Mystique's countless betrayals being opened up again.

Charles tries to calm her down. "Rogue, I can't explain this yet but it is not who you think it is. This is Elizabeth Braddock."

"He's right, Rogue," Jean backs him up being able to sense the girl's mind. "I can sense her mind. With Mystique I can't do that."

"Can someone clue me in?" the purple haired teen girl asks, utterly, utterly lost. "Who is this Mystique and Risty people you are all bloody on about?"

"They're the same person," Amara answers.

"Yeah," Ray says in agreement. "You."

"Me?" Elizabeth was completely lost now. Suddenly several people at once try to explain it and she picks up bits and pieces about someone who can change shape and looked like her.

"Alright! Enough!" Rogue snaps. She looks at the Professor. "Tell meh she's leavin now."

The Professor can feel Rogue's hurt and anger pour off of her. "No, Rogue. She is not," he calmly states.

"But...but..."

"She's not Mystique, Rogue," Clark tells her. "Don't judge her as such."

Rogue's head snaps round to glare at him. "How can ya say that? Ya know how ah feel about this?"

"Yes. I do. I've also known shapeshifters before I came here. Heck she almost killed me by pretending to be someone else but I never blamed the person she was impersonating. I know it's difficult but misplacing your anger on Elizabeth here won't make it any less so."

"Ah don't have ta put up with this!" Rogue snaps and storms off.

"And she doesn't listen to me. Wow, I can't imagine why we broke up," Clark drawls sarcastically. When they were dating he would have gone after her and tried to make her see it. Now he just doesn't have the traction with her to get her to hear him out.

"I think Elizabeth should accompany me to my office while I fill her in. Martha and Jonathan, can you show our guests their rooms...and a few volunteers to help with the bags as well," Charles requests of everyone.

Elizabeth rubs her temples. So many minds and so many strong emotions...she couldn't block them out entirely. This is why she's here in the 1st place.

While Charles deals with Elizabeth and everyone else is shown to their rooms, the last new student had snuck off out the other side of the cab. She was on the hunt for someone very special.

* * *

Logan was at the garage working on his bike so didn't know of everything that had just transpired with his daughter. He could have been there to meet and greet but frankly he would rather work on his bike. He'll meet them soon enough when he works them through a Danger Room session.

Working on his bike is one way for him to unwind. Suddenly he stiffens as a scent hits his nostrils. He knows that scent but it can't possibly be her!

Suddenly a petite figure jumps on his back. "Hi Wolvie! I'm baaaccckkk!" she yells right in his ear.

"I've died and gone to hell," he comments.

The teenage girl with long black hair and mixed American/Chinese features pouts. She hugs him tightly and brings her cheek against his "Aw, you know you missed me. Admit it," she dares him.

"Not likely. Now get off, Jubilee," he tells her.

Jubilee drops to the ground. Logan turns round and looks her over, still wearing that yellow coat of hers. He hadn't seen her in 6 months and it had made a difference. Her hair was a little longer, she was a little taller, a little...he hated to say this, fuller in figure. He guesses she was on the path to becoming a young woman. Well she was 16 by now. She is grinning that full mischievous one at him...while still managing to chew on her bubblegum.

"Still haven't given up that disgusting habit, I see," he remarks, pointing at her chewing mouth.

"Says the man who smokes cigars the thickness of my arms," Jubilee returns fire.

"Chuck never said you were coming back."

"I asked him to keep it a surprise," she explains. Jubilee hasn't been happier since the day the Professor managed to talk her parents into letting her come back. She never wanted to leave in the first place and home had not been happy. Since she was revealed as a mutant like virtually every one of her old friends wanted nothing more to do with her. She had been lonely and miserable back home in California if she was being honest. "So," she says.

"So?"

"Dating Storm, huh?" she queries with a grin, her blue eyes alive with that innate curiosity of hers.

Logan groans. "No." He ain't talking about it...and certainly not with her.

"Yes."

"No," Logan repeats.

"Yes...not today or tomorrow, perhaps but now I'm back I have all the time in the world to wear you down," Jubilee threatens him and Logan just knows she completely means that. "Well I have to go reclaim my room but we'll hang out soon. See ya, Wolvie!" she waves at him as she skips away.

Logan just knows he'll regret having her back...yet he can't help a little smile. He'll never admit this but secretly he has always had a soft spot for Jubilee.

* * *

In the Professor's office Charles is explaining the whole Mystique/Risty story to Elizabeth.

The young purple haired telepath listened carefully, picking up why everyone had looked at her like they did. "So let me get this straight," she wishes to just say it out and make sure she has it. "There's a shape-shifter named Mystique, who used my image to get close to this Rogue girl and the blue boy, Kurt, both of whom are her children...and she is also your enemy."

"Essentially, yes," Charles agrees she understands the basics of what is a complex story.

Elizabeth slumps into her chair unsure what to make of this. She feels violated in a way.

"Elizabeth, do you know how she got your image?"

"First off call me Betsy," she requests. "Elizabeth makes me sound old...dull...proper," she complains with a small face of dislike at being called 'Elizabeth'.

Charles smiles lightly. Ah to be young again. She must be going through that rebellious phase that most young people go through. Her parents never mentioned that to him. Probably thought he wouldn't accept her if he knew.

"Second off, I have no bloody idea how the ruddy witch got my image. I don't recall meeting anyone blue."

"Anyone whose mind you couldn't read?" Charles asks her.

Betsy thinks hard. She is so inundated with minds she might not have noticed under all the constant distracting chatter. "No-one I can remember, sorry Uncle Charley."

"That's ok...and can I request you don't call me that in front of the other students," he says. He needs to maintain his authority.

"But I like calling you Uncle Charley," Betsy teases with a pout.

Charles gives her a stern look. "Elizabeth," he says warningly.

"Ok, just don't call me that," she asks.

"Very well, Betsy. We have a deal."

Betsy smiles and then her smile falters. "This is going to cause a problem with the others isn't it?" she has pretty much figured.

"It will take a little adjusting...especially for Kurt and Rogue but in time they will realise who you are and accept you for who you are...and that is when the pranks will begin," he warns her.

Betsy grins manically. "Pranks huh? They don't stand a chance. You should have seen all the ones I have pulled on Brian," she says in relation to her twin brother and how there isn't a prank invented she can't see coming.

"I can imagine. How is Brian?"

"Oh as dull and uninteresting as you'll remember him," she jokily puts her twin down. "So he's our parents' Golden Child. I'm the black sheep. Why do you think I'm here?"

"So I can help you with your powers," Charles explains why she is here.

Betsy rubs her head again. "Yeah. That I need help with," she agrees, making a slightly pained expression at the throbbing in her temples.

Charles looks at her with mild concern. He can see right away it is as bad as her parents told him it was in relation to her powers. He will have to get to work with her soon.

"Can I go to my room, now?" she asks. "My body's all messed up with the time-zones. I need a rest." And a rest from all the strong emotions she felt...especially from the Goth girl who ran off. There was a lot of hostility there. Betsy fears it may mean them not ever being close.

The Professor can see she does need rest and escorts her to her room himself.

* * *

**The Sanctum Sanctorum...**

Someone who missed all the drama of the new arrivals was Wanda who had to return to the Sanctum. She was in her room...and it was really her room. She has started to fill it with her personal effects. Still takes her 3 wrong turns to find it though thanks to the ever shifting corridors and rooms of this place.

Now she has more personal effects for it, evidenced by the box on her bed. The one she took from the asylum, She opens it and lifts out her blond-haired doll. It was a gift from her mother. She can remember that. The day her mother gave it to her. Wanda was so excited she ran about all day showing off her doll with pride like it was the most important thing in the world.

She misses those days before her father crushed all the innocence out of her.

Wanda brushes the doll's hair down with her hand before she places the doll down, resting up against her pillow.

"I wouldn't let Satana see that," a chirpy voice jokes.

Wanda sighs. "Hello Jen."

The blonde haired Jennifer Kale skips into Wanda's room. "So have a nice Christmas with your pals?"

"Yes."

"Really? And the best present they could come up with was a doll?"

"It's not a present. It's a...symbol."

Jen looks at Wanda curiously. "Of what?"

"Of lost lives. Of lost innocence. Of something I can never get back but also of a new life I can make for myself."

"Whoa. That's...deep," Jen remarks. "You get all that from a doll?"

"Yes...and more."

"So what did you get for a present?" Jen asks, her curiosity peaked.

Wanda sighs again and fetches her present. "Something you'll be pleased about."

Jen's eyes light up at seeing the Wicca stuff. "Yes!" she proclaims happily even doing a little happy dance. "Welcome to the sisterhood!" she calls Wanda's conversion to the Wiccan faith.

Wanda rolls her eyes.

"And you'll probably need every inch of faith you have," Jen adds, suddenly sounding more serious.

"What do you mean?"

"Dr S got a lead on Johnny," Jen says in relation to her cousin, Johnny Blaze. It's why she is here. To find him.

"This would be the same Johnny who did a deal with the Hell-Lord Mephisto."

"Yep," Jen confirms. "Ready to go a few rounds with the Devil?"

"You've never met my father, have you?" Wanda quips dryly.

Jen bursts into a fit of laughter. Oh that was good. She should probably laugh while she can because to save her cousin's soul is probably going to be a horrifying experience but she'll do it. She promised herself she would save Johnny and she will no matter where she has to go or what spawn of hell she has to go through. She will save him.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Domino walks into the gym. She was looking for Rogue and liked she guessed her sister was down here punching the bag. They had had to reinforce it after Rogue broke the last one...and at this rate she'll be breaking this one soon as well considering the punishment she is giving it.

Again. It was a word echoing through Rogue's brain. The world was kicking her down again. For one brief shiny moment her life had started to look up. Ok she was single and that hurt but she had control over her powers, she had all this strength and speed now. She was free to build the life she wanted.

Now that reminder walked in the door. Reminder of the fact Rogue had let her defences down. Let Risty get close. Rogue liked it. Liked having a normal friend...only she wasn't her friend. She was her mother. A mother who still could screw her over. Even when Mystique wasn't around she could screw Rogue over. And now that reminder of all her pain and hurt walks in the door.

It's a pattern in her life. First she gets her powers just when she and Cody are about to get together and she kisses him. Well that was the end of that. Rogue hasn't seen him since. Why would she? She put him into a coma that lasted a fortnight. He probably hates her for what she did to him.

Then...god there was her crush on Scott. Stupid. She was. It was plain as the nose on her face he loved Jean. That was a waste of her time.

And Clark...oh god Clark. No-one has gotten further into her heart than Clark did...but it wasn't enough for either of them. The one guy...at the time the only guy she could touch and fate decided that for whatever reason it just wasn't meant to be. Neither of them was willing to allow themselves to cross that final little bit and be completely open and honest with each.

Rogue hasn't even realised she has started crying.

Clark, Scott...at least neither of them meant to hurt her. Risty...Mystique it had all been planned. Get close to her, use her. "Arrgghhh!" she screams and delivers once huge punch to the bag. The reinforced chain breaks, the bag flies across the room, hitting the wall and putting a dent in it.

"I really hope it wasn't my face you were imaging there," Domino jokes dryly.

Rogue manages a small chuckle despite herself. She finally feels her tears and turns away not to show her weakness to Dom.

Domino walks over and gently places a hand on Rogue's shoulder. "Hey," she says softly. "You don't need to hide from me," she tells her sister.

Rogue wipes the tears away.

"It's not her."

"I know that!" Rogue snaps when she doesn't mean to.

"Do you? Really?" Domino wants to be sure.

"She used meh, Dom. She claims ta beh mah mothah but all she does is lie and use meh and hurt meh."

"Yeah. Life is crap sometimes," Dom sums it up. "And I'm not trivialising your pain here. Definitely not," she wants Rogue to understand. "I can imagine it is not easy for you but don't displace your anger. Braddock is here because she has problems with her powers."

"What am ah suppose ta do?"

"Oh I'm not telling you that one. You're my sister. I'll support you but I am also an instructor at this Institute and that girl is my student. I have an obligation to her too," Domino says, showing her rarely seen serious side.

Rogue understood that last part...she supposed. "Ya can't tell meh?" she asks because she could do with being told right now.

"No. I can't tell you to be her friend. There is nothing I can say that will make your pain go away. You will just have to find your own way to cope with her being here because she is going to stay here. Don't blame her for your mother's misdeeds. That is all I will say."

Rogue takes a few deep breaths. "Ah'll try," is all she can say although don't expect her to put too much effort into it at the moment. She doesn't think she can cope with any prolonged period in that girl's company.

"That's all I ask...and oh you're fixing that bag," Dom instructs her.

Rogue just shoots Dom a withering glare in return for that.

* * *

As it turns out no-one won the bet about when Logan would throw the newbies into the Danger Room. That was because there was one more recruit who didn't show up until the afternoon. Upon arrival the young native American man was escorted to the Professor's office.

"You're certain this is what you want, Forge?" the Professor asks. Forge was often around using the labs and creating machine but now he was asking to stay here permanently. That could be...interesting. A few of the things Forge had built previously had had...unpredictable side-effects...and don't get the Professor started on what happened when Forge fixed the toaster that one time. It's a miracle no-one was hurt.

"Yes," Forge confirms. He had thought about this hard for awhile and knew this is what he wanted. "It was great of my parents to take me back after I vanished for almost 40 years but they're in their 70s now. They should be enjoying their retirement, not looking after me," he explains the basis behind his decision.

Charles could sense Forge felt like he was a burden on his now elderly parents. "You are most welcome here, Forge. You always have been," he gives the genuinely heartfelt assurance.

That makes Forge feel better. It's been a massive adjustment trying to catch up with the years he lost. That's why he stayed with his parents. It was a safe place to catch up but now he feels he has...mostly a grip on this modern world so it was time he tried to make a life for himself here. The Institute is the only place he knows where to begin doing that. So here he is.

Charles has to say he gets a nice buzz, a sense of refreshment when new students come. Even if some are former students returning it still manages to add a new energy to the place. He knows that Forge, Jubilee, Rahne, Betsy, Alex, Terry and yes, even Sean, will make a great contribution in the days ahead.

* * *

_Author's Note: Uh, yeah, I don't think Claire will be being invited to any FF parties any time soon...and hey I even threw in a Namor mention. Risty, a girl with purple hair who was British. Makes sense to me that it was Mystique ripping Betsy off...and Rogue gets put through the emotional ringer again. And Wolverine and Jubilee reunited; let the good times roll! Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the new arrivals settle in...and get to experience the joy of a Danger Room session._


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

**The next day at the Institute...**

When people told Betsy that they trained in a metal room full of death-traps she thought they were joking. This morning she can see they weren't as she stands in said metal room. She was grateful to be here to learn her powers but this wasn't what she was expecting.

Betsy was still trying to get use to the place. People were still looking at her oddly and that Rogue girl was avoiding her like the bloody plague. Jean had been one of the few people to talk to her...and Mr and Mrs Kent had been very friendly, open and welcoming. Betsy must admit to being a little surprised to see a pair of normal everyday humans living here. They had a son, Clark but she had barely seen him. Apparently he had a lot of 'errands' to do.

Betsy takes a moment to smooth out her uniform. She is in one of the standard new recruit ones. Basically a sort of dark blue with yellow boots, gloves and a yellow belt with red patches on the shoulders with black Xs in them.

It wasn't the most fashionable thing she had ever worn but it wasn't bad. It was quite limber and if some of the thoughts she had managed to pick up were accurate it seemed to show off her figure quite nicely.

Betsy(who hadn't a clue what sort of codename she should take) was joined by all the newbies. Jubilee(hey when you have a name this cool who needs a codename), Rahne(taking back up her codename of Wolfsbane), Terry(still working on that codename idea), Alex(who was still debating over Domino's suggestion of Havok for a codename), Forge(who needs a codename? He thinks his name is fine as is), all in the same uniform. Sean Cassidy(using his original X-Man codename of Banshee) was here as well dressed in his mostly green outfit with a yellow upside down triangular section down the middle and yellow gloves and boots. Attached from his arms to his waist were these yellow and black striped flaps.

Logan was there getting ready to supervise. He was in his new uniform. Since they were now public the time for the yellow spandex and mask had passed. It was all mostly black, top, pants, boots and gloves. The top had short sleeves and 2 what would be called golden slash marks on each shoulder. There was a circular red patch with the black X on the top left of it. The belt buckles was also red with the black X. Logan would never ever tell anyone this but it was actually a Christmas present from Storm.

Jubilee raises her hand and Logan groans. "What is it, firespark?" he asks, using a new nickname he just conceived.

"Ok why am I having to do this...again?" Jubilee complains. "I've been through the initiation DR session already."

"First off; you were never as good as you seemed to think you were," Logan says with a tiny smirk.

Jubilee huffs at that.

"Second off; my bet is you haven't been doing anything but laze around and get out of shape for the last 6 months."

"I've been training!" Jubilee insists.

"Going to the mall doesn't count as training," Logan retorts.

"Well now, we can tell you've never been to the sales can't we," Jubilee declares sounding snippy.

Rahne, Betsy and Terry giggle at this. Sean, Alex and Forge chuckle.

Forge raises his hand now. "Ok, can I point out my mutant power is making stuff...essentially."

"Look, I will concede that," Logan says. "However, every student here, no matter what their power, will learn how to defend themselves and how to work as part of a team. Besides, that fancy arm of yours could be used to disable automated defences. It's therefore up to your teammates to get you close enough."

Forge must admit he never considered that.

"Irish, since you're an original X-Man, it's your team," Logan tells Banshee he is the leader.

Sean nods in acknowledgement. "Aye. Nae problem. Whatever th' best score for this though, expect it t' be broken," he boasts, in that ever optimistic attitude he has.

"I'll believe it when I see it." And with that Logan leaves to head to the control booth.

Sean takes a moment to assess his team. He knew of the basics of their powers. Course without knowing what they were facing, which he didn't, how to best utilise them he would have to make up on the fly as they go.

Up in the control booth Logan finds Scott there. "Come to assess the newbies?"

"For the team reorganisation. I need to see what level they are on," Scott explains his presence.

Logan makes a small grunt. The reorganisation had been mentioned in meetings. He could see the point of grouping people with others closer to their skill level. He activates the PA. "It's just the pretty simple. Get across the landscape as quickly as possible...as a team. No-one is left behind," he gives the only instruction he is going to.

Logan activates the Danger Room and a fiendishly difficult obstacle course appears. In Logan's head that's simple.

Sean takes one moment to decide they should move in 2 pairs and 1 group of 3. It's fast, flexible and they are able to cover each other from at least two positions. That being the case he pairs the group up with one long range fire on each pair because he can do that. He pairs Betsy with himself in case he needs to use her to telepathically pass commands on.

He has Terry go in the 3 with Forge and Alex. Her experience to counter their inexperience. He trained Terry himself and knows how good she is.

That leaves Jubilee teaming up with Rahne. A pair of people who have been at least partially trained...even if they might be a bit rusty.

A buzzer sounds indicating the beginning of the simulation.

Banshee leads them forward and has them dive behind a wall as drones appear in the air. He has Jubilee blind them with her fireworks while Alex, himself and Terry used their attacks to knock them out of the air.

Betsy has to ring her ears out after having Banshee unleash his scream right next to her. It was deafening.

With that first wave down they advance. They come to a wall to get over and have to aid each other getting over it. A turret appears and Betsy has this one covered. On her belt were these pouches with little things like smoke pellets and these flying discs. They were for people, like her, whose powers were passive in nature. She flings a disc and it impacts the turret. The disc sends an electric charge into it, disabling it.

"Fine throw, lass," Banshee compliments her.

"You're looking at my school's rounders star bowler," Betsy explains where she got her throwing arm.

"What's rounders?" Alex asks as he pulls himself over and lands the other side.

"It's kinda like baseball," Wolfsbane tells him using the closest American analogy she can think of as she follows him over.

Banshee sits on top of the wall and pulls Betsy up. She's the last and they both land on the other side and move forward...just as another wave of drones comes for them.

Up above Scott and Logan watch on as the group slowly makes their way through the obstacles.

"They ain't breaking any records," Logan points out.

"No," Scott agrees. They weren't. However Banshee was doing a good job with a team where 3 members(Alex, Betsy and Forge) have no experience and 2 are obviously out of practice(Jubilee and Wolfsbane). Terry on the other hand was damn good. He would have to ask how she got so good. There is a lot about the history of the Cassidys he doesn't know but you could see that her father and her had worked like this before. They barely needed to speak to each other to know what the other was doing.

The group down below are now working their way through a small maze full of dead-ends and traps. Forge had managed to reprogram some of the drones they had previously disabled which now hovered overhead and could see over the maze and were a big aid in finding the path through. Wolfsbane had transformed into her wolf-form. Sometimes you could smell the traps. When they were separated around corners Betsy, with a struggle and effort managed to keep them in contact using her telepathy.

They get through the maze to a big wide open area and there is the finish line...it's an actual finish line.

"Well this is obviously bad," Terry says in her thick Irish accent as she assess the situation. It looked far too easy so it must be a trap. "So make a break fer it or th' cautious approach?" she asks her father.

"Or a combination of both," Banshee suggests. "Alright we go for it but expect to be ambushed," he tells his team. "Forge have those drones watch our rears. Jubilee and Wolfsbane watch our left. Terry and Alex our right. Betsy, stick with me. Everyone clear?"

There is a collective yes and the group moves forward at a run but short of a full-out sprint. As expected the traps start activating. Pitfalls and turrets that fire paintballs.

Betsy was both terrified and exhilarated by this. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. This certainly beat a competitive game of Rounders. The others were taking down the turrets as they weaved and dodged although a few paintballs were finding their mark. One hits Betsy on the shoulder. The impact is enough to spin her off to the right, where a pit opens up. "Aw, Bugger!" she cries out as she teeters on the edge and she knows she isn't going to be able to stop herself falling in. She starts to fall only for a powerful hand to grab hers.

Betsy is yanked back and finds herself looking at a tall young man with slicked back black hair apart form one curly lock that flops over his forehead. He has these incredible blue eyes, chiselled features and is dressed in this red and blue outfit.

"You should be careful, miss. There's a reason they call this the Danger Room," he says with a warm, personable tone and a smile that makes Betsy's heart do a little flip-flop. "One moment," he says and then Betsy sees his eyes glow brilliantly red and he unleashes bursts from them that incinerate the turrets.

"Space-Boy!" Logan's irate tone shouts over the PA for Clark interfering in this.

"Oops, now I'm gonna get it," he says in jest.

"Eeeeee!" an excited squeal catches Clark's attention. He turns just as a small figure collides into him. "Ok, take it easy, Jubilee. I'm glad to see you too," Clark says at the figure hugging him.

Jubilee pulls back and then punches him on the arm.

"What was that for?" Clark asks, as he rubs his arm out of habit.

Jubilee shakes her fist out. "How come I never saw you yesterday?" she complains with a pout.

"Sorry. I was busy. Family business," he explains. He didn't stick around much after everyone arrived. He went up to the Fortress. In fact he's just back.

"Uh huh," Jubilee says. "By the way I LOVE the new outfit!" she compliments him. When she left he was dressing in black. This is definitely an improvement.

"Well you have to thank my mom. She designed it...and thank Forge who invented the material."

Forge grins at getting mentioned. It was some of his finest work.

"Nice t' see ya again, lad," Banshee says.

"And you too Mr Cassidy," Clark says back. He turns to his daughter. "Terry," he greets her.

Terry smiles at him, giving him an appreciative smile. It could be just that long since she saw a boy she liked but damn was he fine.

"Hello Rahne. Welcome back," Clark greets her.

Rahne transforms out of her wolf form, back into human. "Hi!" Rahne greets him with a smile.

Alex coughs to get some attention. "Superman, right?" he asks to confirm what he suspects about who this is.

Yeah. Clark had never revealed he was Superman to Alex. It was one of those things he thought he didn't have to do since he thought Alex was going to be going home. Alex has only ever met 'Clark Kent' in his time here. "Hello, Alex. Scott talks about you a lot."

"Does he now?"

"Yes," Clark keeps it simple. He turns back to Betsy.

"I'm Betsy," she introduces herself. "And if you're free I can pay you back for helping me there."

"Oh boy," Jubilee mutters. That was a come-on line if she had ever heard one.

"That's alright. No-one ever has to pay me back for my assistance. It's free," Clark tells her, being totally honest about meaning that.

"Okay," Betsy says, feeling a little dejected at being rejected. "I'm curious about one thing."

"Why can't you read my mind," Clark makes the assumption.

Betsy is surprised he knew that. "Um, yeah."

"You'll get that explanation later. I promise," Clark says because there is no way he can avoid it. If Betsy is staying here sooner or later she'll notice she can't read Clark Kent's mind either. He'll also need to decide about letting Alex know.

The doors to the Danger Room open and Scott and Logan walk in. Logan is giving Clark one of his severe glares. Logan makes a note to chew out the Space-Boy later for interrupting. He turns to the group. "Wasn't bad but I wouldn't throw a party just yet...and Irish, nowhere near the best time."

"Not today, perhaps," Banshee says in his chirpy optimism implying one day he will get that best time.

* * *

Later that morning Betsy finds herself summoned to the Professor's office. Once there she finds Mr and Mrs Kent and a figure she assumes is their son, dressed in a plaid shirt, jeans and work boots with a pair of thick-rimmed glasses on his face.

"Betsy. Come. Sit," Charles requests of her.

Betsy walks in and sits in the spare chair.

"Betsy, this is Clark," Charles introduces him.

"Hi, luv," Betsy greets him.

Clark gives her a polite smile but says nothing.

"Betsy before we begin I request a favour," Charles says.

"What?"

"Clark is thinking of a number. Tell me what it is?"

Betsy is extremely puzzled and it shows on her face.

"Please," Charles implores her to do as he asks.

Betsy has no clue what is going on but does as she is asked. She looks at Clark and concentrates...and concentrates...and nothing. "I...I can't read it. It's just like..." she trails off.

Clark removes his glasses. "Just like in the Danger Room this morning," he finishes it off for her.

"I...you're..." Betsy is very lost.

"You're wondering why you didn't notice right away," Charles can guess she is thinking. "There's an explanation for that which we'll get to. First off...there is no easy way to drop this so Clark will just tell you right off why you can't read his mind. Clark," Charles gives the teen his opening.

Clark just comes out and says it. "I'm an alien. I come from a planet called Krypton."

Betsy sits there almost as if that hadn't been said. She is waiting for the joke but she can sense the worry, tension and fear pouring off Mr and Mrs Kent. "I keep expecting the punchline but there isn't one is there? You're serious."

"Very much so," Charles tells her. "Clark is indeed not of this world."

An alien. Wow. Betsy was stunned. He just looked...so human.

"This is a secret, Betsy," Charles tries to convey the gravity of this. "Almost everyone here knows but as far as the outside world knows Clark Kent is just a human boy and his alter ego...well Clark just leaves people to make their own assumptions. I know this is a burden but I hope you understand why."

"Not entirely," Betsy admits.

"Look at the reaction to mutants, Betsy. Humanity is not ready to cope with knowing they are not alone in the universe."

Ok Betsy might be able to follow where Uncle Charley is going with that.

"Now I'm certain you have questions," Charles can safely assume. "And Clark and his parents will try and answer any you have so please ask," he permits her.

Problem is Betsy wasn't sure where to begin.

* * *

That evening every single member of the Institute is gathered in the Danger Room. It's about the only space big enough to have everyone in the same room now with over 30 people now living here.

Alex was glancing over at Clark trying to wrap his brain around it. An alien. He just didn't have the words. He isn't certain when it'll sink in fully but he promised to keep it secret and that he will.

"Settle down!" Storm's voice rises as she tries to bring them all to silence.

Scott addresses them. "With our new arrivals we have decided to split the group into 3 teams more balanced out to your respective skills," he informs them. "Now before you ask, that means you Bobby, no, we haven't chosen a team name. In fact once you see the teams I'll leave it to you to discuss it amongst yourselves to choose one...subject to mine and the Professor's final approval."

"Why do I get picked on?" Bobby asks, looking as if he can't work it out.

"Ugh, you're really are that dumb," Claire says.

"I'm not the one who made the news for felling the Human Torch."

Tabby snorts with laughter. "That was awesome," she thinks about it.

Paige laughs in agreement. It was awesome.

"Please, students," Hank intervenes this time. "You need to listen."

Scott gets to it. "Alright as for the X-Men there are not major changes."

"There's a shocker," Ray complains.

"Can you say closed club?" Roberto adds to the complaint.

Scott frowns and rejects that notion. "That's not true. The 2nd team is going to be a reserve to the X-Men and anyone in it I consider fit to be an X-Man at any time. I'm just trying to minimise the changes at the beginning here," he explains himself.

That seems to quieten down the criticism.

Scott starts again. "Basically for the X-Men there is simply the issue of Clark's replacement as he takes a break so he can train at his Fortress of Solitude. Tarot...congratulations."

Marie looks and is utterly shocked. "M-me?" she queries. A few short weeks ago she was a Hellion and now she was an X-Man.

"Way to go!" Claire praises her girlfriend.

"Yes," Scott confirms. "You are very skilled, Marie and have proven yourself when you aided in the assault on Magneto's base." Also with Rogue's power boost they don't need to add more strength to the team. They needed something different and Marie's powers are very unique from anything they have had before.

"Thank you," is all Marie can say, truly overwhelmed by the faith being placed in her.

"The rest of the X-Men is the same. Mr Cassidy..."

"Sean, lad. Call me Sean," Banshee asks of Scott.

"Sean," Scott acknowledges the permission to use the first name. "I don't have to say how you, with all your experience, are on the team but Instructors equally have a more fluid role involving all 3 teams."

"Aye. I understand," Sean says and he does. He did agree to this despite his hesitations he was up to being a teacher.

"The rest of the X-Men," Scott returns to that. "Myself, Jean, Spyke, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rogue." Scott says the last name with a little hesitation because Rogue's attitude is still in question. For the moment she stays. When they did their first team session earlier today she was fine. Still too headstrong in charging in, perhaps but it wasn't so bad he would throw her off the team. The rest are the Instructors; the Professor, Domino, Beast, Storm, Wolverine. Probably never all of them at the same time. Teaching duties and all but like Storm said this was about being flexible and fluid.

"The reserve team," Scott calls it for the moment. "Sam, you'll be in charge of it," he mentions first off since Sam had shown ample leadership skill for the New Mutants this last few months...more.

"Way to go Sammy!" Tabby cheers her boyfriend on, planting him with a big kiss.

"Uh...wow...thanks," Sam says, honoured to be put in charge.

"Your team will be the following; Tabby."

"Whoo hoo!" Tabby yells in triumph, punching the air.

Scott shakes his head. As impulsive as Tabby can be she has come a long way. He continues with the team list. "Bobby..."

"Why don't I get to be an X-Man?" Bobby asks in complaint.

"Because you're useless," Claire fires off at him.

Bobby glares at her.

"Because we sat down and decided it this way, ice-cube, that's why," Logan says it bluntly. "And that goes for all of ya," he says before they all kick off on a complaining spree. "Be unhappy. The decision ain't yours to make. If you have a problem no-one forces ya to take part in any of it."

That seems to shut down the debate.

"Thank you, Logan," Scott says, grateful of that intervention. "As I was saying; Roberto, you're in, Ray, Claire, despite her going out on night-time activities with Clark said she wished to continue in the team."

"If I can," Claire modifies that. It's a carrying on and seeing process.

"And lastly, Terry. Despite the newness of your arrival, your skill is unquestioned," Scott makes the last, perhaps surprising addition but having seen her in that one session it was clear she was far too highly trained to be put in with the rest. One thing Scott can't know yet is how she will fit in in a team dynamic so hence holding off placing her straight into the X-Men.

Terry smiles broadly. "Thank ye," she says, chuffed to bits.

"Everyone else; Amara, Alex, Rahne, Jubilee, Betsy, Forge, Jamie and Paige, you get to remain the New Mutants. We need to run you through a few training sessions first before we decide who will be the team leader," Scott adds because there aren't, currently, any clear leaders amongst this group. He hopes that one of them will step up and show leadership qualities once the training begins. Privately he has some hope that Alex can show it. Maybe it's just a family pride thing in wanting his brother to be the best.

A couple of names are surprising. Paige and Rahne look at each other with a little hostility. Neither liked the fact they were on the same team, not considering the way each thought that the other was too clingy to Jamie.

"You left Mara behind?" Tabby queries, surprised for her friend.

"There is the issue of her powers," Scott reminds Tabby...and not just her powers. Lately Amara's attitude has been lacking. Oh yeah, she's been more aggressive and forward in her personality but when it comes to the practices in the run up to Christmas she hasn't been trying. She's been late...and lazy and it wasn't like Amara at all. Scott is hoping leaving her behind will give her the kick she needs.

Amara stands there, looking regal and standoffish. "It's fine, Tabby," the tension in her voice showing that isn't true. In fact she thinks she might be insulted...but you know what, it's their loss.

"It does seem a little unbalanced in terms of numbers," Sam raises.

The Professor actually smiles at the fact Sam is stepping up as leader and protesting this. Proves they were right to put him in charge. "Sam, the numbers equate to two mismatched teams but don't think of this as some hard and fast line. If a New Mutant proves they are ready they will be promoted. Equally if an X-Man, for whatever reason, is not quite living up to standard they will be dropped down...and you can order them around to your heart's content."

"Oh yeah," Sam says, a big smile growing as he considers this. There had always been some friendly tension between the high and mighty X-Men and everyone else. Secretly all the newer recruits wished to see the X-Men knocked down a peg or two now and again without wishing any harm to them.

"And it's possible I might find the time to take on something lesser than full X-Men duties depending how my training goes with Jor-El," Clark suddenly adds, not wishing to rule himself out completely of helping. "I can't make any promises, though."

Now that would be awesome to have Clark on his team, Sam contemplates.

"Not to mention at some point it is likely Wanda will return once she has learnt the basics of magic from Dr Strange," the Professor also points out. That was what Wanda was wishing when it started.

"Who's Wanda?" Betsy asks.

In response to that Domino says, "I keep tellin ya guys. Brochure, listing everything you need to know about this place." Dom has mentioned that regularly due to all the many, many stories and enemies and everything else that goes on around here that new people need to be caught up on.

Actually the Professor is probably going to have to concede Domino has a point about summarising basic information, particularly about their enemies and who to avoid, and presenting it in some sort of introductory pack or something. He'll need to think on it. "I think we'll bring this meeting to a close and allow you all to adjust to your new teams."

"Tomorrow, you're all going to be in them for your first sessions together," Logan warns them which gets a collective groan in response. Logan grins at it. He loves his job.

"There is one piece of good news," Martha says. Usually she stays silent during these sort of team meetings but she remembers they have forgotten to mention something. "Sam, your team, you get to design your own uniforms."

"We do?!" Tabby says, her whole face lit up in excitement at that idea.

"With final approval from me," the Professor adds sternly so they don't get carried away and design something inappropriate. "But yes, you can design your own. I know some of you aren't fond of the standard uniforms."

Jubilee raises her hand. "No, firespark," Logan cuts her off, taking glee in it. "New Mutants don't get the privilege."

"Meany," Jubilee complains, blowing a raspberry at him.

Logan takes pride in that fact.

* * *

**Early the next morning...**

Clark returns from his shower and gets his underwear and jeans on. He is just looking for a shirt...only they're gone. All of them. Clark sniffs the drawer. "Jubilation," he growls quietly as he recognises the scent.

In an instant he is outside Jubilee's door. "Jubilation Lee!" he shouts as he pounds on her door.

It takes a few moments but Jubilee opens her door, looking like she has just woken up, rubbing her eyes. "What?" she asks, sounding annoyed at being awoken.

"Cut the act," Clark tells her. "I know it was you."

"Me what?"

"Who stole my shirts."

"I don't know what you mean, Clark," Jubilee says, looking as innocent as can be, while her eyes can't help an appreciative gaze at Clark shirtless.

"Have you forgotten my sense of smell is as good as Logan?"

"Damn!...I mean what?"

Clark folds his arms across his chest...which really only gives Jubilee a chance to ogle his biceps. He gives her a glare.

"Ok so I might have forgotten," Jubilee confesses. Next time she'll remember to 'borrow' some of Jean's perfume to use to cover up her scent.

"Uh huh. My shirts," Clark demands holding his hand out, waiting for her to return them.

Jubilee heads back into her room, picks them up and hands them over.

"Thank you," Clark says and turns to head back to his room...to find Terry and Betsy standing there giving him more than a once over. "You set me up," Clark realises what Jubilee has done.

"Moi?" Jubilee claims innocence.

"I can sic my sister on you, you know," Clark threatens to let loose Claire.

"If she ever stops making out with her girlfriend long enough I might worry," Jubilee says, making the point that Claire and Marie have been so smoochy, smoochy, lovey, lovey since Saturday she doubts they know what day of the week it is.

Clark rolls his eyes. Then his phone, which he has stuffed into his pocket rings. He juggles the shirts in his hands while he fishes it out and answers it. "Hey Andrea...Nah it's not too early. I'm always up early. Anyway remember my offer for you to come here...If I ever make it again refuse. Otherwise your sanity will be in serious danger," he smirks, giving Jubilee a look.

She narrows her eyes and sticks her tongue out at him.

Clark lightly chuckles and starts to head back to his room chatting away with Andrea as he goes.

Terry and Betsy watch him leave closely.

"Merciful Lord, thank ye for this moment," Terry says in thankful prayer for allowing her to see a body like that.

"Oh, preaching to the choir, luv," Betsy says in agreement.

"I feel like I need t' confess for me many sinful thoughts."

"Or spend some _solo _time in the shower."

Terry snickers at the very suggestive idea Betsy is putting across. She didn't know what this whole Risty thing was really about but she found she liked the purple-haired telepath.

Betsy is glad that at least one person around here seems to like her.

"What is goin' on?" Paige asks as she returns from her early morning jog. She and Jubilee were now roommates.

"Oh just reintroducing myself to Clark," Jubilee says with a knowing smirk.

Paige cocks her head, looking puzzled, unsure what Jubilee means.

"By the way, Hayseed," Jubilee addresses Paige. "We need to talk about about personal space. You keep leaving your stuff on my bed."

"We're roommates," Paige says a little puzzled.

Jubilee rolls her eyes. "There still have to be boundaries," she points out.

Paige is still confused. Having come from a home with so many siblings there weren't really that many boundaries. They didn't have a lot so they had to share what they had.

Jubilee can see she and Paige will need to have a sit down and talk this out. Maybe she should draw up a list of rules.

"GET BACK HERE YOU FLYING SOON TO BE HANDBAG!" a loud, irate voice echoes down the hallway, interrupting this moment.

Everyone moves out of the way as Lockheed flies past with Bobby in pursuit.

"What's going on?!" Jubilee shouts after him.

"He _messed _up my shoes!" Bobby explains as he continues the chase.

It is then everyone notices Bobby is barefoot.

"Does he mean what I think he means?" Betsy asks.

"It's probably better not t' know," Terry decides.

"Ah agree," Paige says.

Betsy looks to Jubilee who nods in agreement. Yeah. They probably don't want to know.

* * *

"I can't believe yer sending me t' school," Terry complains to her father as she prepares to leave with the rest of the students for the 1st day back.

Sean smiles at her trying to look upset. "Now darlin' ye were th' one who wanted t' come here," he reminds her.

Ok Terry did. That was true. And she is not regretting it in the least.

Jubilee's brow is furrowed as she spots Bobby on the phone to...Chloe by the sound of it.

"Please don't tell me you're still crushing on him," Claire begs as she spots Jubilee's expression.

Jubilee turns her head to Claire and Marie who have their hands in each other's back pockets. She turns back to Bobby. Was she still crushing on him? It's been 6 months she's been away.

"It's ok," Marie says. "No-one will make fun of your feelings...will they?" she adds with a small glare at her girlfriend, knowing Claire can't resist a pop at Bobby.

Claire makes a gesture of zipping up her lips.

"I don't know," Jubilee admits. "So much has changed. I mean Kitty has a pet dragon for crying out loud!" she cries, barely able to get her head around that concept and she's met the thing.

"Sometimes the heart craves for something our mind does not know what," Marie spouts her wisdom.

"Maybe Marie could read your fortune later," Claire suggests.

Jubilee looks puzzled.

"Marie can use her cards to read your future," Claire explains.

"You can?" Jubilee asks Marie, someone she didn't really know yet but she thinks it is just awesome that the French girl defected from these Hellions she has heard about.

"I cannot guarantee I'll see clearly your future. It's become difficult to see it lately...but I can try if you wish," Marie says with caution.

"Thanks," Jubilee says with a smile.

"You are welcome," Marie says.

Claire leans in to whisper. "Just to say my heart and my head know exactly what they want. You."

Marie's heart fills with gladness. Claire's words mean so much and since they told each other they love each other, Marie thinks this is the happiest she has ever been.

Claire meanwhile activates her holowatch and slips her glasses on. She can't believe mom and Jonathan have done this to her, really. Going to school...she'll burn the place down in an hour, she's certain.

Marie thinks it's cute how Claire looks with the hologram. Technically this is her 1st day of school. After defecting from Frost's it took a little arranging to sort out her visa...and at Frost's they never attended main stream public school. They were taught within the Academy. This will be a new experience.

It is soon time to depart. Alex bums a ride with Scott and Jean in his brother's car.

There are now so many students having to go to school it takes a mini-bus these days to transport them all...so the Professor bought one. Logan was already planning how to fix it up with numerous defences. The students climb aboard. Paige manages to snag the seat next to Jamie.

Rahne is not happy and she expresses it in a low, long growl.

"Did you just growl?" Ray asks, him being the person nearest to her.

"Me wolf side gets irritated with people," she snaps at him.

"What did I do?" Ray asks, thinking she is blaming him for something.

"Nothing," she huffs as she sits herself down.

Ray is lost.

Rogue sits herself at the back...as far away from Betsy as she can get. Still doesn't want to be near the girl. Still finds it too difficult and awkward...and she just doesn't know what to say.

"So what is this school like?" Terry wonders.

"Oh it's wonderful," Bobby drawls with a strong sarcastic edge.

"If you don't mind a school full of bigoted idiots," Evan grumbles.

"And a Principal who tried to set it up to have us banned," Kitty adds in complaint.

"Although Clark did write zhat cutting article on him," Kurt points out, remembering it fondly with a small toothy grin.

"What article would that be?" Betsy asks, looking at Clark with interest.

"Kelly kept cutting my articles from the school paper for not being anti-mutant enough so I quit, started a blog on the Institute website where my first article was all about him and his policies...and I didn't hold back my opinion," Clark says with some pride in his work.

"Clark plans to be a journalist," Jamie fills in. "You know fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way using both the pen and his fists," he says, sounding a little bit like a fanboy.

_'Truth, Justice and the American Way?' _Clark mentally questions that_. 'Makes me sound like a corny comic book character.'_

Betsy wouldn't mind finding out what Clark's_ truth_, Clark's _justice_ and Clark's _American__ way _is all about.

With the last student on board, Logan starts the bus up and off they go.

* * *

_Author's Note: There was no point in trying to keep Clark's secret from Betsy since she is a telepath and living with him. As for Betsy's powers I'll keep it to simple telepathy for the moment and bring in her other powers later. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Betsy's plans to get to know Clark better are interrupted when Andrea asks for his help with a thief who, if you blink, is gone in a Flash._

_AN1: What is coming up is a version of Run but I can't decide the ending. Do I follow the show and have Bart run off or does Clark persuade him to join the Institute? I ask for your help and to vote in the poll I have put up on my profile page._


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

_Betsy thought she was starting to get a grip of these Danger Room sessions. It had been an overwhelming experience at first but after nearly a week of them she was starting to develop that 6th sense one needed to get through it._

_She throws a disc at a turret and shorts it out and runs toward her goal. A pitfall opens but she leaps over it, rolls forward and...another one opens up._

"_Bugger!" she swears as she can't stop herself in time. She falls down and down and down and...is it her or does this seem like entirely too far to fall?_

_Betsy braces herself for the inevitable impact only to find herself caught safely in two powerful arms. She looks up in the gorgeous blue eyes of her saviour and smiles. "Thank you, Clark."_

_Clark smiles back at her. "You're welcome. You should be very careful. You could get hurt."_

"_Well I did get the odd bruise."_

"_Perhaps I should 'examine' you to make sure you're ok."_

_Betsy shivers at the huskiness of his tone. "Yeah. Better make that a very 'thorough' examination," she suggests as she wraps her arms around the back of his head and pulls it down until their lips join and he kisses her deeply._

_The heat intensifies, their hands roaming over each other..._

_"God," Betsy moans as her clothes suddenly feel far too tight and oppressive. Her lips aggressively attack his jaw moving up to his ear and sucking on his lobe as she tells him exactly what she wants him to do to her..._

"Betsy!"

Betsy blinks and snaps out of daydream to see Jean standing there, food tray in hand, looking down at her. They were at school. It was Friday lunchtime and she was just sitting there by herself waiting for everyone else to arrive. Since she got here Betsy had discovered that apart from a few most of the students here avoided them so the mutants sat at their own tables grouped together. "Jean, luv. Problem?"

"You were projecting," Jean tells her, meaning she saw what Betsy was daydreaming about.

Betsy shrugs with a devil-may-care smile. "It's just a little harmless fantasy."

Jean sits down next to the purple-haired telepath. As the Professor suggested she had been trying to be friendly to the girl despite her similarity in appearance to Risty and Jean didn't dislike Betsy. There was a lot of rebellious fun in the girl.

"You're telling me you have never, once, ever fantasied a little about him?" Betsy asks, sceptical of that idea, especially after seeing Clark shirtless at the start of the week.

"Well..." Jean starts to say. There was that first time they met in Smallville and he was trying to retrieve his clothes from his room which Jean was sleeping in and as he walked away in his boxers Jean did take an admiring look at Clark's butt.

"Oh I agree. His arse is spectacular."

Jean looks at Betsy with horror.

Betsy grins. "Now who's projecting," she teases.

Jean blushes bright red.

Betsy chuckles. "Did you never consider asking him out?"

"No. I was dating someone else."

"Scott?"

"No. Duncan Matthews," Jean says with much regret over the issue.

"That dumb...what do you Americans call it again...jock?"

Jean nods to show Betsy has gotten the right lingo.

Betsy had met him...and picked up his thoughts. What an arrogant prick. "Ok was you're telepathy on the blink?" she has to know.

Jean sighs. "No. I just...you know we don't use our powers like that."

"Yeah but stuff leaks in no matter what, right?"

Unfortunately that was true yet Jean never saw through Duncan. Ugh, what was wrong with her?

"So back to my question? You never thought about asking Clark out after?"

"By that time he was dating Rogue."

"Right. The girl who avoids me like I have the bloody Black Death."

Jean winces slightly. Yeah, Rogue was being particularly difficult about it. Not openly hostile just avoiding trying to deal with it. "I can talk to her if you want," she offers to try and play peacemaker.

"No!" Betsy asserts too strongly. "I mean I appreciate it but that probably won't help. She'll think I'm been moaning about her which will only make it worse. No, we have to sort this out between us, somehow."

"Alright," Jean accepts but wishing she could do something. It wasn't easy. Jean got that but Rogue...well Rogue could certainly be putting more effort in to resolve it. Let Jean phrase it that way.

"So can I ask you something about Clark?"

"I started dating Scott!" Jean guesses Betsy's next point.

Betsy grins and shakes her head "No. Not that. More in general. You can't read his mind either right?"

"No," Jean confirms.

"What do you think about that fact? Do you find it odd? Or some other feeling?"

"Honestly, I find it soothing," Jean admits.

"I find it fascinating...intriguing...refreshing," Betsy says with a sort of excitement in her voice about it.

"I don't understand."

"Like I was saying no matter how hard we try not to we pick up stuff from people's minds but not his. To get to know him you have to actually have to speak to him."

Jean could see what Betsy meant. Clark was...it was different having to actually speak to him, ask him stuff, having to try and read his moods through body language and not pick it up in her mind.

"And it doesn't hurt he has the body of a God," Betsy quips.

Jean arches an eyebrow.

"Oh don't give me that look. You're not that blind."

"Betsy," Jean says her tone trying to convey to the Brit to show caution. "Clark and Rogue only broke up last month. I'm not sure how over it he is just yet."

"I'm not planning to jump into bed with him tomorrow, luv...although if he offered," she says with a salacious grin.

Jean can tell Betsy is joking.

"I can be patient," Betsy insists. She has already been making that effort to talk to him and she'll continue to do that and try and judge whether he really is ready to move on...and the fact she can't use her telepathy only makes it all the more an intriguing challenge for her. Her telepathy kicked in at the same time as puberty. There hasn't been one boy whose mind she couldn't access before so this is all new for her. That's what it makes it so exciting.

Just then the subject of their discussion enters the dinning hall. "Hey Clark!" Betsy shouts and waves him over. "Saved you a seat," she says with her best smile as she pats the spot next to her.

Clark sits down next to the British mutant. Unlike a few other people it's been fairly easy for him not to judge her because of Mystique/Risty, mostly because to him there are clearly differences. Her scent, her heartbeat, subtle differences in her features, a different spark in her eye that probably no-one but him with his sharp eyes would notice. That and she had made the effort to get to know him despite the whole dropping the alien bomb on her. She had taken it quite well actually. Betsy had a sense of fun around her and Clark had found he liked her.

One person who hasn't grown to like Betsy spots her ex-boyfriend sharing a laugh with the purple-haired girl. Rogue's fingers dig into the tray she is carrying, warping and bending it under her grip. She just...it's...she doesn't know. That's the problem. She can't resolve her feelings over the girl.

A hand touches her shoulder. Rogue turns her head to see Kurt.

Kurt, too, had of course had to try and deal with Betsy. Intellectually he knew it wasn't his mother. It's still a little difficult, though. It's not that he has anything against the British girl. She's funny and accepted his appearance with barely a bat of her eyelids. He'll get over it. In the meantime he has to tread a fine line with his sister. "Come on. Lets go sit," he encourages her...and gently leads her to the same table as Clark, Jean and Betsy.

Rogue hesitates a little but doesn't resist as she sits herself down at the opposite side next to her brother. She didn't do much talking as in none at all to Betsy beyond a customary short greeting but as far as Kurt was concerned it was progress.

* * *

**Academy of Tomorrow...**

Emma stood outside the entrance to her school dressed for business. Essentially she was wearing an all white power suit. The Lord Imperial would be here shortly and she had to get her first impression right.

Emma knew that Pierce had been bad-mouthing her to the Lord Imperial and she swore the White Bishop would suffer for that as soon as she got herself over this rough patch.

A patch made rougher by Monet's brother. Emma was not one to dwell but that had all been too close to a disaster. It was thanks to Alison in a large part that Marius was defeated and her turned students were returned to normal.

Well after Emma had literally ripped it out of Marius' mind how to reverse what he had done. Not an experience Emma cares to repeat. She has been in a lot of sick, twisted and perverted minds and Marius' was one of the worst. In her top 3 easily.

Well she says her students were returned to normal. That isn't completely true. Monet is still as she was because that wasn't Marius' doing precisely. It was Selene's doing. A spell she gave to Marius to transform Monet into a form where she must do Penance. Bottom line is at the moment, as far as Emma can figure, only Selene can undo it.

Selene is on Emma's list. Make no mistake about that. For now they all simply have to adjust with Monet as she is...which is not without its uses.

As for Marius the M-Twins managed to banish him back to whatever hell dimension they sent him to before. With any luck they shall never see him again.

As for Alison...well it just proved to Emma that she can still make excellent choices when it comes to her students.

Emma straightens up as she hears a convoy of vehicles approaching. That'll be him along with the London branch of the club since that is where he is based. The cars pull up, the drivers get out and open the doors. Emma acknowledges the mixture of men and woman but is really only interested in the important one.

Out steps an elderly man with grey hair and a moustache that is joined to the sideburns, grey as well. He is dressed in a sharp suit.

Emma bows her head. "Lord Imperial, welcome," she greets him formally.

Sir Gordon Phillips eyes one of his many Queens with a cold gaze. He does not appreciate being forced to fly here from England to deal with this mess. That being the case he decides to skip the formalities. "Let us retire somewhere private. We have much to discuss," he orders.

"Of course," Emma agrees in respect. She can hardly do otherwise, especially when London's version of the Black Queen is watching her. Emma Steed is a slender, not overly tall woman with shoulder length black hair...and an ability to produce psionic blades with her mind that can rip apart the mind of even the most powerful telepath. Her loyalty to Phillips is what helps keep the old man in power.

The White Queen leads the Lord Imperial to what is essentially a sitting room and they sit down opposite each other while she leaves her staff to keep the other Hellfire Club members entertained.

"I'll cut straight to it, Emma," the Lord Imperial states. "I've already seen Sebastian and gotten his version of events. Bluntly they put a lot of the blame on you."

_'Naturally,' _Emma thinks sourly to herself. "Lord Imperial, I take responsibility for my choices and my failures. I underestimated Superman, I admit it."

"Ah, yes. The Superman. Selene had a few choice remarks about him."

Emma's face colours at hearing that name. "You've seen Selene?"

"I've spoken to her. She also had a few choice words about you."

"She tried to kill me, recently," Emma says indignantly.

"She mentioned that, actually."

"And?"

"And what?"

"You're not going to do anything, are you," Emma can tell.

"People have died for less than the bloody cock-up you and Shaw made within this organisation."

That's not it. Emma can sense it. Phillips is like Shaw. Both so afraid of being on Selene's bad side they let the witch get away with anything she wants. Well Emma is not afraid of her. One of these days...

"No, Emma, I will not act against Selene," Phillips states. "However, I did manage to persuade her not to attempt it again and to leave your fate to me."

Emma supposes that's a plus. She should be able to talk the Lord Imperial round.

"Now, I've left Sebastian to deal with Fury's assaults on us. That's his method of redemption. It brings us to yours. Now, I'm a fair man, Emma. I'm willing to give you a chance to prove you are still worthy of being part of our illustrious organisation."

A chance is all Emma has ever needed. "I suspect you already have a way for myself to prove this," she says.

"Indeed," Phillips confirms. "Now, I do find merit in this school of yours. Grooming our future leaders from a young age is prudent. However, our organisation has only ever had one constant. We compose the elite, the best. Your students have failed to show this and as they are a reflection on you that means you have failed to show this. Your redemption is simple Emma. You will lead your students and prove they are the best."

"How do you desire this to be done?"

"Simple. Destroy the X-Men. They are the ones you failed against. Prove yourselves superior and all shall be forgiven."

"That will require careful manoeuvring and planning," Emma cautions.

"I'm willing to give you time. Our entire organisation has been built by men with patience and I am no different. As long as I see progress I am willing to be flexible with you, Emma."

"And if Superman interferes?" Emma asks since he is allied with the X-Men.

"Selene wishes to deal with him herself. If he interferes stop him but leave him alive...or I shall leave you to explain to Selene personally why her wishes have not been followed...and I would warn you she is not in the best mood."

_'Neither am I,' _Emma silently points out. Her mood caused by Selene. "This is actually fortuitous," she remarks.

Phillips arches an eyebrow. "Oh? In what way?"

"I was planning a move against the X-Men, not as extreme as you desire but my plans can be modified."

"Excellent, Emma. I'm impressed," Phillips praises her.

"I have one question."

"Which is?"

"Sebastian's daughter...did he mention her?"

"He did."

"She's with the X-Men. Does she get spared?"

"I want the X-Men destroyed. Xavier will never join us, he is a loose cannon that I will not tolerate...and he is not necessary. We can keep a control on the current human/mutant situation and manipulate it to our goals. Xavier and his X-Men are expendable."

And Emma thinks this is another punishment upon Sebastian that Phillips doesn't ask for Volcana to be spared. "As you wish, Lord Imperial," Emma concedes to his authority.

"Now, I don't intend to leave you unsupervised. I brought someone with me to oversee this operation," Phillips informs her while he presses a button on his watch which activates a signal.

"Oversee?" Emma questions that.

"It isn't a choice Emma," Phillips informs her. "You agree or I can have you demoted to White Pawn with immediate effect," he threatens her status.

Emma bites her tongue but inside she is steaming. To be reduced to the lowest rung...unthinkable. "If that is what his Lord desires," she says through gritted teeth.

"I do..." The door opens. "And here's your supervisor now."

Emma looks to see a woman a few years older than her with brown hair dressed stylishly in a black dress that hugs a voluptuous figure. Someone Emma had not seen exit any of the vehicles and hadn't sensed...well Emma can't sense her. Never has been due to their genetic relation. The sight of this woman stuns Emma into utter silence.

"What's the matter Emma? You look like you've seen a ghost?" the woman asks, taking great pleasure in seeing this reaction.

"Adrienne?" Emma queries in total disbelief at seeing this person.

"Hello sister, dear. Long time no see," Adrienne Frost greets her younger sister with a cold calculating smile that Emma knows can't be good for anyone...especially her!

* * *

**Metropolis...**

Night had fallen and a figure clad in mostly black and some red moves from rooftop to rooftop. Andrea Rojas had found that she couldn't stop. Perhaps it was just a way to deal with her grief over her mother or maybe it was Clark's innate optimism infecting her but people needed her help so she continued to go out at nights and help them.

Like Clark suggested she had tried to get the Angel of Vengeance name dropped, introducing herself with her new name, maybe, occasionally, slightly abusing her position as a writer at the Planet to name drop her new nom de guerre.

Thinking of Clark makes her smile. She enjoys talking to him. She feels like he is someone who can understand her.

Tonight Andrea finds herself in the more upmarket part of Metropolis having started straight after her day at the Planet finished. It was different to Suicide Slums. Cleaner, better lit, yet still there were always the pickpockets and thieves trying to prey on the unwary...tourists usually.

Andrea comes to a stop opposite the Lexcorp(formerly Luthorcorp) tower. Lex Luthor...he was on her mind...not in that way! She was thinking about if his father, Lionel, had had the contacts he had to stage that war with Edge what about Lex? Did his dealings stretch into the criminal?

Chloe had made mention of secret projects that were probably illegal. Then again, being cynical, Andrea figured what major corporation didn't do that sort of thing?

Andrea places her hands on her hips. In truth she was still feeling her way forward in her life and this hero stuff without her anger over her mother. Then...

Andrea blinks.

It's like a red and gold streak that just...flashed by into the Lexcorp tower. It was so quick she wonders if she is seeing things. Then up on a floor almost directly opposite at her height a light flickers on and Andrea can just about make out a figure in a red hoodie.

Ok, now it may just be her finely honed senses when it comes to criminals but that doesn't seem right.

Andrea quickly backs up across the roof to give herself a running start. There's no subtle way to do this. Any other way would take too long. Andrea sprints across the roof, leaps and with a good aim smashes through the window into the office.

Andrea quickly scans the room. She thinks this is the office for the head of Lex's personal security if she recalls the name tag on the desk correctly. The computer is fired up and is downloading stuff into a memory stick.

"Buena entrada, Señorita!"

Andrea spins round to find a slightly diminutive figure in the red hoodie. Definitely male, teenager considering it sounds like his voice hasn't broken yet and from what little she can see of his face definitely not of Spanish decent. "As someone of Spanish decent it really bugs me when smart-alec twits do that," she says, irritated when people try to copy the accent as a joke.

The boy holds his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "Oh easy, Señorita. I meant no offence. Love the outfit," he compliments her in what Andrea guesses are suppose to be flirtatious tones. He glances at where she came in. "Haven't met anyone before who could do that. Maybe we should get together, _compare_ _powers."_

Andrea ignores the pitifully poor attempt at flirting with her. "Or you stop your obvious act of corporate theft," she retorts, easily figuring out that he must be here stealing secrets off Lexcorp's mainframe.

The boy waggles his finger playfully at her. "Now that's hurtful. It's not theft. It's a liberation of information motivated by financial necessity."

Andrea interprets that to it's actual meaning. "Someone's paying you to steal it."

"There are the haves and the haves not and I'm one of the nots. A growing boy has to eat, Señorita," he justifies his actions.

"I hear they serve 3 square meals in prison."

"You have to catch me first...and no-one has ever managed that," the boy boasts, cockily.

Andrea makes a grab for him but he blurs out of her grasp and ends up leaning against the wall in a nonchalant manner, one foot crossed over the other.

"You're quicker than the average, dame. I'll give you that," he says and you can hear the smirk.

_'Dame?' _Andrea thinks incredulously to herself. She goes for him again, misses and puts her fist through the wall.

"Ouch," the boy comments from behind her.

Andrea pulls her fist out, none the worse for wear.

"Ok, that was slightly impressive," the boy gives her.

Andrea has to think. He's too fast to catch directly but he's cocky. She has to take advantage of his cockiness. First off she does what appears to be the dumbly obvious and repeat her vain attempts to grab him. He blurs away of course. She lets her momentum carry her forward.

"No offence but if you don't learn it after the 3rd ti...whoa!" the boy dives out of the way as the desk in the room comes flying at him courtesy of Andrea kicking it.

Using her own unnatural speed Andrea manages to catch him mid-air by the back of his hoodie. "Now, who hired you?!" she demands to know.

"You know I'm really, really impressed. Are you single?" he asks her. He is actually impressed that she caught him.

"I date men, not pre-pubescent boys."

"Ok, ouch. My heart, I think I just heard it break."

"You don't know the meaning of the term broken heart," Andrea says with heavy emotion.

Catching him is one thing. Holding him is another. His body starts to vibrate and it is almost like golden lightning cracks over his outline. The spark of energy makes Andrea cry out in pain and drop him. As quick as a flash he is on his feet and blurring around and around her, whipping up the wind, altering the pressure. He then whips the rug under her feet...literally the rug from under her, sending her stumbling back and tripping over a chair...and heading for the window.

Andrea can't stop herself heading for the long drop. This is going to sting...only it doesn't as she is caught and stopped. She turns to look and sees a glimpse of the boy's face, a serious expression on it for one brief moment as he thinks he saves her life.

When Andrea blinks he is gone in a gust of wind. Her eyes drop to the computer. The stick is gone! He's gotten what he wanted!

_'Damn!' _she thinks to herself. She takes a moment to straighten her coat out and finds, to her surprised a note pinned to it. She rips it off and reads it.

_You're welcome, Señorita Rojas._

Andrea's jaw drops. How did he know her name?

Oh no!

She reaches for her inside pocket...where she stupidly kept her wallet on her tonight. The one with her ID and press badge. It's gone.

Andrea panics slightly. With that he can expose her to the whole freakin world...and she has no way to catch him...or does she?

She does know one person who can move like that boy. Andrea runs for the broken window she entered through and leaps away far across the street and lands on the rooftop she started from. She grabs her phone...which she also stupidly kept on her tonight but at least he didn't steal that.

"Come on, Clark. Please pick up," she whispers in prayer as she dials his number.

* * *

**Bayville...**

Clark is not really a nightclub person by nature(times when he is Kal aside). Sure he and Rogue went to one a few times but that was always really more because she wanted to than him.

Saying all that, therefore, Clark has no idea how Betsy managed to talk him into coming to one tonight...and not just him. She had expressed a desire to see Bayville's night life and had managed to convince a whole bunch of them to come out tonight. Not including Rogue...and really her avoidance of Betsy was getting old, fast.

Right now Betsy was trying the same trick she used to talk him into coming out on him again. Clark folds his arms across his chest at the table he is sitting at and gives her a defiant gaze. "No," he says politely but firmly.

"Oh come on," Betsy pleads. "It's just one dance."

"I do not dance...well ok I do...but badly. Trust me Betsy if Rogue's reaction was any indication you don't want me anywhere near you when I dance."

"Word to the wise, luv. I'm not Rogue."

"That much is obvious," Clark dead-pans.

Betsy grins at him. He was a funny guy. She reaches for his hand and pulls...and it is like trying to move a mountain. He ain't shifting. "What you need is just someone to teach you the moves."

Clark looks at her sceptically.

"Hey, it seems to work for Kitty and her stud," Betsy points out.

Clark glances over at Kitty and Peter. Yeah somehow Betsy talked Kitty into talking Peter to join them and he was actually dancing with her...but then again Peter has a natural agility and flexibility to his body that even Clark couldn't match.

"And your sister is certainly getting into the spirit," Betsy adds to her argument.

"My sister is about a hair's breadth from getting arrested for indecent behaviour," Clark points out since Claire and Marie were dancing close together, heated glances being exchanged, looking like they want to tear each other's clothes off. He may have to tell mom to give Claire 'The Talk'.

"They're young and in love," Betsy excuses it, quite easily accepting it.

"I've been in love. Never went that far."

"Didn't you do it out in the woods?"

Clark closes his eyes and silently groans. "Let me guess, Tabby?" he supposes told Betsy that.

"I like that girl. She has spirit." Which Tabby was showing right now as she did her thing on the dance floor with Sam.

"Too much spirit," Clark critiques.

Betsy shrugs and passes on that, wanting to get back to her original aim. To get him up and dancing with her. "So anyway how about one dance? I mean I can't speak for you Yankee rebels but back home it is considered rude to refuse the request of a lady."

Oh, that does it. The Mid-Western gent in him can't refuse the request of a lady. He sighs and gets to his feet, allowing Betsy to drag him. "By the way I'm not a Yankee rebel. Kansas didn't exist when the revolutionary war broke out," Clark feels it necessary to argue.

"History was never my strong point but I always consider it your loss you don't have the Queen as your head of state."

Clark would debate the merits of American democracy further except his phone rings at this moment. He fishes it out and answers it. "Hello? Andrea?"

Betsy frowns at the mention of that name.

Clark's own brow furrows. "Slow down Andrea," he requests because she is talking so fast she is muddling up her words but Clark gets the gist of what is important. "You need my help. Give me half an hour or so and I'll be there. I'll meet you at the Planet, the roof?...ok. See you soon." Clark ends the call and looks to Betsy apologetically. "Sorry. A friend needs my help," he says and with a small smile he makes his way through the crowds to the exit.

Betsy folds her arms across her chest, not happy at this turn of events. There is something bugging her about this. She needs to ask someone. She spots Jean with Scott on the dance floor and makes her way over. "Sorry, I need to borrow Jean," she says as she interrupts and pulls Jean aside.

"Is something wrong?" Jean asks, sensing intense unhappiness from her fellow telepath.

"Do you know what is going on with Clark and this Andrea bird?"

"Um..." Jean stalls for a moment. She doesn't know very much. "She was someone he met and befriended in Metropolis as far as I know."

"I think it is a little more than just friends," Betsy grumbles.

"Huh?"

"Clark just left because she phoned and said she needed his help."

"Clark would do that for anyone," Jean points out.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"It's more than that," Betsy argues, not taking what Jean is saying at face value. "I've seen him a few times speak to her on the phone and every time he realises it's her his face lights up into a smile." A really, really gorgeous smile Betsy wishes he would flash her way sometime. "Trust me, there is more than mere friendship going on."

If Jean didn't know better she would think Betsy sounded jealous. "Even if what you're saying is true, I would point out Clark is single and can do what he wants...and sorry if that seems rude but it's the truth."

"Don't apologise for speaking the truth, Jean," Betsy tells her because she doesn't find it offensive. In fact the opposite is true. Betsy hates it when people lie because as a telepath she knows when they're lying. Lost a few friends that way when she discovered what a bunch of phonies they were.

"So, what now? You still going to pursue Clark?"

"Course I am. All this means is now I know I have some competition and have to up my game. All's fair in love and war, you know," Betsy proclaims with this eager grin, as if she is looking forward to this battle.

"I...what the hell are they doing here?!"

Betsy is caught out by Jean's sudden outburst and turns to look at what Jean is looking at and sees a group of young people entering the club. "Someone you know?"

"I wish I didn't," Jean says sincerely. "I guess we haven't given you our enemies list yet."

"Not the complete one. They're enemies of yours...ours?" Betsy has to correct herself. She guesses they must be her enemies too now.

"Definitely."

Betsy can hear some unusually strong hostility in Jean's tone and sense very strong hostility. "Who are they?"

Jean's reply is a grave one. "They're the Hellions."

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Logan was out in the garage working on his bike. It was a way to unwind. A few bottle of beers litter the ground near him. That's another way of his to unwind.

Tonight his mind is distracted on many things in his life. His daughter, Rogue and what has happened with her and her attitude. Logan can't explain it, not really. Then there is the way she is avoiding Betsy.

Look, Logan may not like the fact she resembles Risty either but he can't blame the girl for Mystique's actions. In fact the girl was kinda likeable in reality which Rogue would know if she would just take the effort to get to know Betsy.

He had discussed it with Dom and Storm and...Logan makes a groan.

He is wondering when his life got so complicated. He never asked for all this. Family, girlfriend, he was happy being the grouchy loner.

Not that he can complain...especially about Storm. God, no man could complain over having her as their girlfriend. She was patient and understanding and kind and everything he doesn't deserve.

Logan sighs. He has lived a very long life. He knows that without being able to remember it. How many women could there have been? A lot probably. And what happened to them? How did it end? Did he simply outlive them?

Logan isn't sure how that is relevant to his current situation at all. It is just something on his mind tonight for whatever reason. Storm is...Logan wishes he could express his feelings better. She means a great deal to him. More than anyone else for a long time. That he is certain about.

Logan's sensitive hearing picks up heavy footsteps approaching. Has to a fairly large man from the sound of it. Logan sniffs the air. The scent...it tickles something in the back of his mind. It is like he should know it but can't place it.

That may not be a good thing.

Logan can be certain it is not any current member of the Institute. He pretends he hasn't noticed as the unknown and uninvited person enters the garage. He lets them get within striking range...his striking range.

Then as quick as can be Logan uses his hand to grab them at the knee and sweep their leg up, sending them off balance. Logan strikes them in the chest and they tumble down to the ground. Logan leaps atop of them with a primal roar and his right claws drawn, ready to strike. It is only then he looks them in the face.

The face of a man with blond hair and blues eyes. A face Logan hasn't looked upon for 70years.

"Glad to see you haven't lost it," the man says in complimentary tones. "Although the metal claws are new," he remarks with puzzlement about them.

Logan blinks. It was impossible. "Cap?"

* * *

_Author's Note: Aw, the old war buddies reunited. Brings a tear to the eye. And Emma reunited with her older sister...yeah, look up the comics and see how badly that will end. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Don't forget my poll if you haven't voted yet. Next up; the Hellions and X-Men get 'reacquainted', Steve and Logan catch up and Clark arrives in Metropolis to aid Andrea._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

**Bayville...**

Claire was pressed up right against her hot girlfriend, their bodies moving in tune with the music. She felt like she could...would combust any second. She loved Marie. Once she said it she knew it to be true and she wanted so badly to show Marie how much she loved her.

Marie closes her eyes as just feels Claire's body pressed up against her own. From her time in convent school she knew anything that felt this good had to be sinful...and she wanted to be very, very sinful with Claire.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the traitors," a cold voice hisses, almost hatefully.

That voice is the verbal equivalent of having ice-cold water thrown on you.

Marie's eyes shoot open to see the scantily dressed in a short, very low cut, summery yellow dress, blond haired vision of her once upon a time friend. "Jen?" the name leaves her lips lower than a whisper as the sight denies her voice any strength and drives all the moisture from her mouth.

"Oh look, she can remember my name. I guess I should feel honoured," Jennifer Stavros aka Roulette says rather nastily.

Claire steps forward, putting herself slightly between Marie and Roulette. She is surprised to see her former teammates but she'll be damned if she lets them harm a single hair on her girlfriend's head.

Jen's companion, Angelica Jones aka Firestar, gives Claire a not so pleasant once over. She was dressed far more conservatively than Jen in figure hugging jeans and a flame coloured top. "Oh look at who's suddenly the noble, chivalrous one, defending her lady love" she mocks Claire's behaviour.

Claire's eyes narrow. "You'll want to back up," she says, her voice dangerously low.

"Do we?" Jen asks, showing no fear.

"Yes," Claire asserts. "Otherwise you'll learn how I didn't earn the name Volcana because of my powers."

One corner of Jen's lips curl up into a cruel looking smile. "Hey, we're just here to have a good time," she claims. "As for the rest of it...that's for another day, I promise you."

"And we'll kick your asses that day too," Claire promises them.

Angelica snorts softly. Claire has no idea what they went through with Marius or how it has hardened them for the battles ahead. Ms Frost always told her she was special. When the day comes she'll prove it by taking Volcana down. She flicks her red hair back, turns her back on Marie and Claire and walks off to get herself a drink.

Jen leaves with Angelica and Marie lets out a huge breath. She is almost shaking. Claire wraps her arms around her.

"Hey, it's ok," Claire assures her.

"No. It's not. I can't see what's coming with them but I know it's bad. The Lord Imperial is here to restore order. They're not here tonight by coincidence."

"Yeah, that last bit I figured out," Claire says because simply Bayville is a long way to come from Boston for a night out.

Elsewhere Hellion had trained his sights on his fellow telekinetic in the shapely form of Jean Grey. "Hey there, Red. Nice to see you again," he greets her with a warm, easy smile, lacking any of the aggression he used last time they met. Julian's way of being charming.

Jean's eyes narrow slightly and next to her Betsy can sense the intense feelings of dislike...and something else. A name that pops into Jean's head. Frost...or something. "Keller," Jean returns the greeting icily, remembering Hellion's name.

"Who's your friend?" Julian asks, making eyes at the purple-haired girl.

"None of your business," Jean snaps.

Julian grins lopsidedly. "Aw, come on, I'm trying to make nice here," he tries to convince her.

"Betsy," she answers for herself.

"Betsy," Julian repeats. "Love the accent," he compliments her on her British tones. "You must be new," he comments since he doesn't know her and Ms Frost had given them extensive lectures on all the X-Men previously.

"First week," Betsy answers.

Julian smiles. "Well then allow me to introduce myself, properly. I'm Julian Keller, member of the Hellions, the...**best** mutant team in the world," he emphasises about how they are the best. "Maybe we could compare powers over a drink?" he proposes.

"How about, not a chance," a voice interrupts.

"Don't believe I was asking you, goggle-boy," Julian insults Scott, who has joined this little get together.

Scott looks at Julian sternly. "Is there a problem here?"

"If there was a problem this building wouldn't still be standing," Julian says darkly.

"What do you want?" Scott wants to know.

"Me and the Hellions are just here to blow off some steam, Summers. If you have a problem with that you know where the exit is," Julian dares Scott to just walk away. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm feeling thirsty," he says with a smirk as he walks away.

Scott watches Julian go before his eyes look around the club and can see the other Hellions bothering his friends.

"What is all this about?" Betsy asks the very question Scott has going through his head.

"I don't know...but I doubt they travelled all the way from Boston just to blow off some steam," Scott surmises. He has big concerns about this.

"Hmm, well maybe I should take up Julian's offer of a drink," Betsy proposes. "So I can _pump_ him for information," she says with a cheeky wink.

"Betsy," Jean cautions.

"Oh trust me, Jean, luv. He can't be any worse than some of the boys I had to go to school with back in England. I can handle him...and if he gets fresh I can always make his brain bleed out his ears." Betsy takes a moment to sort her hair and clothes out to make herself look as alluring as possible. She knows how to take advantage of her looks. "Now, wish me luck," she says as she strides off confidently after the young dark-haired telekinetic.

"What is this about?" Jean repeats the question.

"I really don't know...but somehow I get the feeling it probably isn't good," Scott says gravely. He has a bad feeling this is now going to a very long night.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Logan watched the tall blond man sit in his garage, slowly downing a beer, barely able to believe what his senses were telling him, that sitting there was Steven Rogers. "How?" he asks, breaking the silence.

Steve takes a sip on the beer bottle in his hand before answering. "I don't know the details. Only they found a way to repair the...uh, genetic damage?" he queries whether he is remembering that correctly.

Logan takes a moment to recall how little was known about all that back during the war. "How long?"

Steve takes a moment to count the days. "Just before Christmas...10 days...11 days...I think."

"Must have been some 10 days for ya," Logan remarks.

Steve shakes his head. That doesn't even begin to cover the shock the last 10 days have been to him. Waking up and learning 70 years have passed him by. "I never expected to wake up," Steve gives his honest view.

"What's the last thing ya remember?"

"We had destroyed the Rebirth machine. After that it's a little fuzzy."

For Logan as well. "You collapsed after that," he does recall.

"What happened next?"

"Well as ya can imagine our little escapade brought a lot of attention. They found us, took you away and froze ya. They wouldn't let ya die and I couldn't stop them."

"Because of the serum. Because after we destroyed the machine the only sample left was inside me," Steve assumes why they wouldn't let him die.

Logan nods to confirm that is so. "Fury was suppose to tell me if they ever found a way to revive ya," he says in a low angry growl at not being told. He only wishes he could be surprised Fury didn't inform him. "I should have been there," he says somewhat apologetically to Steve.

Steve laughs a little at something.

"What's funny?"

"When Colonel Fury told me who he was. Little Nicky. Remember Jack, how proud he was of his little baby boy."

Logan smirks. Jack Fury, Nick Fury's father, was part of the Howling Commandos and he was always showing off that picture of little Nicky as he called his son.

Steve's face falls. "They're all dead now, aren't they."

"Yep," Logan says simply, unable to say anything else.

"Except you. You...don't look a day older," Steve says almost in wonderment despite everything he has seen this last week and a half.

"Healing factor," Logan explains that.

"I was looking through the files, all the old files of our unit, when I noticed yours didn't have a deceased stamp on it and a current address," Steve explains what motivated him to come see Logan.

"Does Fury know you're here?"

"No. I...left without permission."

Logan laughs. "Well, well, lookie here. The red, white and blue boyscout going AWOL. Who'd have thunk it."

Steve manages a weary smile. "I couldn't bring myself to look at hers."

"Peggy," Logan guesses Steve means when he refers to 'her'. Margaret Carter. Steve and her...they were close.

Steve nods.

"She's still alive," Logan informs him.

Logan can see the conflict in Steve's eyes. The hope, the fear, the hurt, the pain. "You've seen her?"

"Once or twice," Logan admits. "She has her good days and her bad days."

Steve looks confused.

"She has dementia. Her good days are getting fewer and fewer. She doesn't always remember me."

Steve lowers his head. Peggy was so strong and determined and brave and...well he could make a very long list of things he loved about her. He can't imagine her as this frail old woman whose mind is failing her.

"If you want to see her you better decide soon. Can't say how much longer she has left," Logan warns Steve.

"I don't know what I want. Maybe I want to remember her as she was."

"You have to let it go, Cap. The past."

"You don't understand, Logan. For me 2 weeks ago was 1945."

"Actually I do. There was this organisation called Weapon X. Recruited mutants, wanted to turn them into weapons. There the ones that did this to me," he says as he pops the claws on his left hand.

"What did they do?" Steve asks.

"Grafted a metal called adamantium to my bones. It's indestructible, tougher than the vibranium in your shield. As you can imagine no normal person could survive the process."

Steve can see the pain in Logan's eyes and imagines he can't possibly understand just how much that probably hurt.

Logan retracts his claws. "Well on top of that they decided I needed to be controlled so they took away my memories. Turn me into a blank sheet they could mold into anything they want. Didn't work exactly as they intended. Take away my memories and all you leave behind is my rage without control."

Steve winces. He can remember Logan's 'Berserker Rages'. He always almost felt sorry for the people on the receiving end of those. He can also pretty much imagine what happened next to the people responsible in this Weapon X. He doesn't ask about that. "Your memory?" he queries.

"Most of it is gone. I can remember chunks of the War but very little before it and virtually nothing after it. The last thing I remember is what I said about what happened to ya and then there is nothing until 16...17 years ago," he explains how he has been in the exact position Steve is now. Essentially to Logan it was like one day he woke up and over 50 years had passed him by.

"How did you carry on?"

Logan shrugs, not really able to find the words to describe what kept him going. He just says, "I'm a survivor...and I ain't got much choice in the matter. My healing factor won't let me die so I just find a way to keep going. At first I just wandered the world trying to find answers and then one day Fury showed up at my door, offering me a job with SHIELD. Sounded like a good idea at the time."

"It didn't stay that way," Steve guesses from Logan's tone.

"Fury's a spy. His world is lies and secrets and espionage and games I got so damn sick of. In his mind I was a weapon to be used...but I ain't anyone's weapon. Never again," Logan swears.

"And now you're a...teacher?" Steve says with massive bemusement at that concept.

"There are a lot us now. Mutants. And the world, as you'll discover soon enough, ain't all that friendly to us. I teach these kids what they need to know to survive."

"You found a purpose," Steve summarises it.

"I guess you could say that."

"My purpose was to help win the war. I never really gave it much thought about what I would do after because deep down I really didn't expect to survive. I was a soldier. I am a solider. Now I'm some sort of...future man whose war has long passed him by," he says, almost frustrated sounding at not knowing what to do now.

Logan can guess this is what drove Steve to seek him out. He's lost in this world with no purpose and was hoping Logan could give him an answer about how to rediscover it. Logan hates to say it, as Steve is his friend, but he isn't really going to be able to give Cap the answer he wants. "Didn't Fury offer you one? I know what he's up to. Starts with A," Logan mentions since he can make a guess as that is why Fury woke Steve up at all.

Steve nods. "He mentioned his Avengers Project to me. Not sure it replaces anything."

"Look, Cap, I can't tell you what it is you need to find," Logan says regretfully. "Only that I believe the world needs ya. More than that, SHIELD needs ya. It needs someone who won't compromise their beliefs like Fury tends to."

"You and he really don't get on do you?"

"What was your first hint?"

"Fury telling me you threatened to gut him."

"I said that every week I worked for the man. And I ain't certain your war is over. HYDRA still lives," Logan mentions. As Steve said he's a soldier. If that is what it takes to keep him going, fighting a war, then why not. It would do until Steve adjusts to the modern world.

Steve's head pops up and more life comes to his eyes. "HYDRA," he virtually spits the word out hatefully. HYDRA represented everything he fought against.

"It survived the end of the war. Became a terrorist organisation. World domination through subversive means. Battled them for years when I worked for Fury."

Steve had no idea this was the case. He thought HYDRA dead when he defeated the Red Skull.

Logan's head cocks to one side. "Your ride's here."

"My rid..." Steve trails off as a red-haired woman in a skin-tight black outfit strides in. The Black Widow. Steve sighs. He guesses it is back to SHIELD he goes. He rises to his feet.

"The car's outside the gate. Please do not get lost," Widow advises Steve in her no nonsense tone, with her thick accent permeating through. It's a subtle warning just to do what she says.

Steve nods in sad acceptance. He walks over to Logan and offers his hand. "Looks like our reunion has to be cut short."

"Yeah...but if you need me to beat ya at poker I'm here," Logan offers with a smirk, shaking his old friend's hand back.

Steve grins. He remembers those poker games the Howling Commandos had. "You still cheat?"

"I never cheated," Logan insists, blatantly lying.

"Not how I remember it."

"Me neither," Natasha adds, a single eyebrow being raised slightly in inflexion.

"You all are just bad losers," Logan points out.

"I will join you momentarily, Captain," Widow tells him.

Logan waits until Steve is out of sight. "So...you let him escape," he accuses her.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not," Widow doesn't confirm nor deny that.

"Why wasn't I told?"

"Orders."

Logan shakes his head and growls under his breath. "Care to tell me how you did it?" he asks as in how did they revive Cap.

"No."

"One of your chatty moods I see."

"He needs a reason."

A reason to keep going. "Don't we all. I never could figure out what yours is."

"And you never will," Widow promises.

"So you thought seeing me would inspire him to keep going?" Logan asks, taking an educated guess that Widow somehow set all this up and allowed Cap to escape. Even he is rather sceptical about the notion that he is a good example of anything.

"Yes. Now you say it like that it doesn't seem like such a good idea."

"I'm sure back home in Russia you're considered funny," Logan dead-pans.

"I am," Widow asserts, sounding dead serious.

"Watch out for him. It takes time...but ya know that."

"I do...and I shall," she gives her word. "Do svidaniya, Logan," she says her farewells.

"See ya around, kid," Logan says with a smirk, always appreciating the irony he is probably the only one who can get away with saying that to her without her snapping his neck in return.

A tiny, almost child-like smile appears on Natasha's face as she remembers something from long ago before she vanishes into the night.

Logan shoves his hands into his pants pockets and tries to comprehend this. Cap being alive. It is almost as if some long lost part of him is back. He can only hope, that like himself, Steve finds that thing that gives his life purpose again. No-one can tell Steve what it is. He has to find it on his own.

* * *

**The Daily Planet, Metropolis...**

Andrea paces the rooftop back and forth and back and forth as she waits. God she was so stupid she berates herself for the millionth time tonight. Stupid and amateurish. If she manages to get out of this with her secret identity intact maybe she should take this as a sign this isn't for her after all. There is a gust of wind.

"Hello, Andrea."

Andrea spins on the spot and the sight of Clark in his Superman costume is...breathtaking. She smiles in response. "Hi! You came."

"Of course."

_'Of course he came. You asked him,' _her own voice in her head reminds her. Andrea momentarily closes her eyes to gather her thoughts.

Clark takes a moment to look Andrea over. She's made a couple of alterations to her costume. On her red top it's there in black while on the back of her coat it's there in red. A symbol. "Wings?" he queries pointing at it. It's a pair of wings.

"Just taking a friend's advice," Andrea says with a smile.

"Nightwing?" Clark questions after whether she's taken up his suggestion, a smile starting to grow on his face that she has done so.

Andrea nods. "And it still fits in with the whole Angel thing as well," she points out.

Clark could see that but back to business. "So what happened?" he asks her.

Andrea takes a breath and tells Clark the whole thing about the superfast thief and her stupid, stupid mistake carrying on her her wallet and her ID.

Clark's face grows serious. "Andrea," he starts to say but she never lets him finish.

"I know, Clark. I know it was stupid. I wasn't thinking. And now he can expose me to the whole world. I'm finished," she states the dire state of it. Her hand rises to her head and she closes her eyes, not wishing to see Clark's look of disappointment in her.

Clark steps forward and places his hands gently on her shoulders. "Andrea. It will be ok. I promise."

Andrea looks up into those blue eyes that show he means what he says. There's no anger or disappointment in them at all. Only a soft caring.

"Now did you get a look at our thief?"

"Not a good one. He was wearing a hoodie."

"Doesn't sound like Quicksilver then," Clark rules out one possibility that had occurred to him.

"Who?"

"Magneto's son. He can move like you described."

"That's why I called you. You're the only person I have seen move like that. I thought if anyone could catch him you could. I couldn't get near him."

"Ok so this is someone new."

"You're certain of that?"

"Quicksilver wouldn't hide himself away. He's extremely arrogant. He would take at least a minute to gloat in your face."

"Then I would break his," Andrea promises.

"Know the feeling. Been very tempted to do that once or twice."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Working on one. First; I'll call Professor Xavier and see if he can pick anything up on Cerebro on our thief."

"And Cerebro is what, exactly?"

"Put simply, a machine designed to detect and locate mutants."

"Including me?" Andrea asks, concerned she can just be found like that.

"Never asked the Professor but probably, yes. He did alter it to pick up the mutations caused by the meteor rocks."

Andrea isn't sure she is comfortable with the idea a machine can just locate her like that.

Clark seems to pick up on her discomfort. "The Professor is a good man, Andrea. He would never use Cerebro against you."

"Never?"

"Well not unless you plan to go on some world domination campaign," Clark says with a goofy grin.

"Hmm, tempting," she jests.

Clark chuckles lightly.

"On the off-chance that doesn't work and Professor Xavier can't find our thief?" Andrea returns to the subject at hand.

"We put a watch on your credit cards for one."

"Oh come on Clark. Only a complete moron doesn't know just to take the cash and throw the cards away because any purchase made on them can be traced."

"I could make some comment about how a certain someone moronically had their wallet on them...OW!" Clark yells out as Andrea slugs him on the arm. "That hurt," he grumbles as he rubs his arm...and he isn't completely kidding. That stung a little.

"Good," Andrea says grumpily, angry at him for reminding her of her mistake.

Clark sighs. "Ok. I'm sorry. I joke. It's what I do. I didn't mean to offend you."

Andrea glares at him before relenting and sighing. "Sorry. I'm just stressed."

"I get that."

"What do we do if those other two things fail?"

"Investigate like reporters," he proposes.

Andrea remembers during their talks Clark told her he was working towards becoming a reporter. She even read his blog on the Xavier Institute website. He was good. A little over-intent on being the voice for the little guy but you can't fault him for it.

"I promise Andrea I'm not leaving until we sort this out. For as long as it takes I'm here for you."

Andrea smiles at him. His sincerity touches her. "Thank you."

"It's what I do."

If she said that Andrea thinks it would sound corny. From Clark it sounds amazing. Clark...is the person she is probably closest to in the world at the moment. She was so utterly obsessed with tracking down her mother's killer all her other friends fell by the wayside. Clark listens to her...understands her. He's exactly what she needs right now. Someone to talk to about the things she can't talk to anyone else about. If he's here she believes they can track down this thief. She wonders where he is and what he is going to do with that data he stole.

* * *

**Suicide Slums...**

A red/gold blur slows down enough to become a figure in a red hoodie. Bart Allen comes to a stop outside the warehouse he was told to bring the data to. Shame he couldn't have hanged around and played more with the chica in black. He had a feeling that under that mask she was pretty hot.

Oh well. Another day.

Bart has a commitment to live up to and money to earn. He is greeted by one of the heaves of Hanison, the guy who hired him.

They lead him to the man himself. A man of fairly average build, short black hair, glasses on his nose and stubble on his chin.

"Yo, Hanison!" Bart greets the man. "Got your data! Where's my money?!"

Hanison can already feel the migraine coming. This kid was a pain in the ass...but his boss wanted to use the kid's unique talents and Hanison did what he was told. To do otherwise...well he didn't let his thoughts drift there. "Come with me," he instructs the kid with a gesture of his finger to follow him.

Bart does so while mentally complaining how slow this guy was.

"Sit there," Hanison orders, pointing at a chair positioned in front of a white projection screen.

"Am I getting a movie?" Bart smart-mouths.

"My boss, the one who will pay you, desires to speak with you and if you want your money I suggest you shut your mouth and do what I tell you," Hanison orders.

This isn't what Bart signed up for but he needs the money so he sits himself down, folds his arms across his chest and under his hoodie makes a face.

Hanison hits a switch. "He's here," he speaks to who Bart does not know.

On the screen the waveform of a voice is shown. "Greetings young man," a heavily distorted voice speaks through a speaker from somewhere.

"Ooh, a big scary voice," Bart mocks with a mock shaking of his hand.

"The data. Hand it to Mr Hanison, now."

"My money?" Bart queries.

"Mr Hanison," the voice gives a directive.

Hanison pulls out a bundle of bills from his inside jacket pocket. In fact he pulls out 2 bundles and throws them down at the kid's feet.

"That's twice what we agreed," the voice says. "One is for the data. The other is a retainer. I will have another task for you in a couple of days if you're interested...and I will pay you double what is in front of you."

Ok for that amount Bart is definitely interested. "Hey, you know to hire the best when you see it," he boasts.

"The data," the voice repeats.

Bart fishes out the memory stick and throws it to Hanison. "There you go my amigo. Fresh from Lexcorp."

Hanison catches it. "I have the data," he informs his boss.

"We'll check it first and then contact you," the voice says. "Mr Hanison, the phone."

Hanison throws a cell phone to the kid. "We'll contact you on that. Don't lose it," he says in no uncertain terms.

Bart rolls his eyes. Like he is that clumsy or forgetful. He picks up his money and vanishes in a flash of red and gold.

After he is gone Hanison asks his boss, "Are you really sure about hiring that mutie freak?"

"He may be a freak, Mr Hanison, but even a freak can be useful. Have the data sent to me as we discussed. Make sure nothing happens to it. Am I clear?" the voice asks, the threat crystal clear that if something does happen to it Hanison's life will be in certain jeopardy.

"Yes."

"Good."

* * *

**Bayville...**

The Hellions had spent the last hour or so making pests out of themselves without being overtly aggressive.

Betsy had been working all her charms out on Julian and she had managed to get him to spill a few things. Nothing of great detail. Only this was the start of something but they weren't here to start a fight...at least not tonight.

Beef had been picking on Peter, trying to pick on the puny little human while trying to muscle his way(literally) in between Kitty and Peter. Kitty was tempted to phase her hand into his head and try and yank his brains out...only to make the remark to Peter that she probably wouldn't be able to find his brains due to the lack of any.

Peter laughed because this guy reminded him of Rhino. Essentially just a big dumb meathead.

Alex was chatting up...or being chatted up by Roulette depending on your point of view and Alex couldn't stop his eyes wandering all over that voluptuous figure Jen had no issue with showing off.

Claire and Marie had been the subject of a lot of snide remarks and Claire was dangerously close to going nuclear on her former teammates.

Amara, on the other hand, had decided to just go with it and was currently sharing a rather sultry dance with Bevatron. Claire was right about her comments in relation to the French accent. It was sexy.

Roberto is watching this, a dark expression on his face, deeply unhappy at seeing what Amara is doing. Heck why doesn't she just have her wicked way with the electric powered mutant right there on the dance floor and get it over with.

Amara is in a blue coloured dress and when she guides Bevatron's hands onto her bare thighs Roberto can't take it any more. He grabs her by the arm and rather roughly drags her away.

Amara turns the air blue with several colourful Latin curses. "What the hell is your problem?" she hisses at Roberto.

"My problem is you!" he shouts at her.

"Me? I wasn't doing anything!"

"Oh no? So you weren't throwing yourself at that guy?"

Amara looks at Roberto like he's nuts. "I was dancing with him! That's all. Is it a crime to have a good time?"

"Too good a time. Why don't you just throw your panties at him while you were at it!"

Amara's face darkens. "You arrogant son of a dung merchant!" she uses what would be an insult on Nova Roma. "And who the hell are you to dictate to me who I do or do not dance with?"

"Uh, your boyfriend?"

Amara snorts. "Oh please. Don't give me that. I heard you bragging all about the hot twins you met at Christmas, you hypocritical ass!"

"That was nothing!"

"One standard for you, another for me. Dictionary definition of hypocrite. Now if you will excuse me."

Roberto stops her before she can go back to Bevatron by grabbing her arm again. "You're not going!" he insists.

"Unhand me, peasant!" Amara demands, slipping into her rarely used role of Princess.

"You heard the lady," Bevatron intervenes, having seen enough. Hey he might be a Hellion. That doesn't mean he doesn't know how a lady is treated.

"Stay out of this," Roberto aggressively orders him.

Bevatron grabs the wrist of the arm that Roberto is using to hold Amara.

"Oh. That's it. Now you've done it!" Roberto cries, a mere moment before he slugs Bevatron.

"Did you see that?" King Bedlam calls out across the club, pointing at the scene. "One of the high and mighty, moral X-Men just punched one of us for no reason!"

"Oh he's dead," the huge mutant known as Beef proclaims, punching his fist into his hand.

The Hellions gather and advance on Roberto. In response Scott summons the X-Men to defend Roberto. "Back off, now," Scott orders. He didn't see what happened but he can't allow the Hellions to beat up an X-Man and not do something about it.

Catseye smirks, her purple tail swishing in anticipation. "Catseye thinks the X-Men talk big about claiming to do right but their actions say otherwise," she says with a deep purr.

"Ya got that right," Julian says, saddened to have to cut short his evening with the Brit chick. He was just starting to get somewhere...hopefully somewhere with a bed but now that seems to be off the agenda so naturally now he's pissed.

"Oh please," Claire dismisses that with a sneering snort. "This coming from a guy who would rob his own grandmother blind," she insults Hellion.

"Hey!" Julian takes offence. "I'll have you know I love my dear old gran!"

"I'm sure you do. Her money that is."

"Why you little..." Julian starts to lay off a few insults at Claire.

"Hey!" Marie yells. "Don't call my girlfriend that!" she rushes to Claire's defence.

"What are you going to do about it traitor?" Jen asks Marie.

"Stick my foot up your surgically altered ass! How about that?!"

Jen steams. "There's nothing surgically altered about me you little tramp!"

"Enough talk!" Firestar declares.

"You got that right!" Claire retorts.

"Hellions attack!" King Bedlam declares.

"X-Men, go!" Scott shoots back.

As the two groups engage in a non-powered brawl to start with, off to the side the mutant known as Empath grins triumphantly at the success of his work for the evening. Who needs to be a full telepath when you can just subtly heighten everyone's emotions, shorten their tempers. He had been unknowingly slowly pushing everyone on edge since he got here. He can't wait to see this when it hits the news...which it will. Everyone is already taking pictures on their phones and Empath gives it 5 minutes before the police get here.

Empath then notices the girl...Amara he thinks, sneak off. He can feel her emotions and the state she is in and an idea occurs to him. Oh Ms Frost will love this...and he can have so much fun while he's at it.

Amara cannot believe Roberto. Well she can't believe any of them really but Roberto he was definitely the worse. Who in the name of Tartarus does he think he is? How dare he touch her like that?

He doesn't have any right. They were not that serious and if she wants to she'll dance with anyone she desires.

He doesn't understand. None of them do. What she is going through. She needs a release...to have some fun and forget her travails.

Amara wipes some tears from her eyes. Let them tear the building down for all she cares. She stomps out the exit and ends up leaning against the wall outside for support.

"You alright?"

Amara turns round about to dismiss the guy only to stop as her eyes fall upon the handsome young man with short brown hair. Amara can't explain why but her heart does a funny little flip-flop.

Empath could tell her exactly why because he is making her heart do a funny little flip-flop. Just an empathic suggestion for her to find him attractive and trust him. He puts on a compassionate front. "I saw you run out. Are you ok, miss...?"

"Amara. My name is Amara...and I'm fine now I've away from that jerk!" she raises her voice, thinking about Roberto.

Empath keeps up the compassion and sympathy. "I saw. He is undeserving of a beauty such as yourself," he compliments her.

Amara blushes and looks shy. "You think me a beauty?"

"Of course," Empath assures her...and it isn't a lie. She is very pretty.

"Thank you...um, what's your name?"

"Manuel."

"Spanish?" Amara queries at the name and accent.

"Castilian," he corrects slightly. He is Spanish. "Yourself?"

"Nova Roman."

"Not familiar with that."

"Most people aren't."

"But I would like to be more familiar. How about we leave the police to deal with those uncouth roughians and you and I try to make what's left of this evening as enjoyable as possible?"

Amara doesn't know what it is but she just feels like she can trust this guy and that she would like to get to know him better...a lot better. "I think I would like that very much."

Empath smiles politely. On the inside he is crowing. This is going to be the start of something very interesting.

* * *

**Metropolis...**

The phone call with the Professor hadn't gone well. He hadn't been able to pick up anything on the superfast thief. Clark saw two possibilities; one this guy was no longer in Metropolis. With his speed, if it was as Andrea described, it was certainly possible. Two; this person was like Spidey. Some kind of enhancement outside x-genes and meteors.

Bottom line is if Clark and Andrea are going to find him they will have to do it the old-fashioned way. Investigation and Research.

Only it's too late for that tonight. First thing tomorrow.

For tonight Andrea had offered Clark her couch to sleep on as he gave his word he wasn't leaving until they fixed this.

Upon arriving Clark watches with amusement as Andrea shoves a pile of clothing into a closet, muttering about meaning to clean more often. It was funny to see her act so 'girly'. He knows he doesn't know her that well but she comes across with this tough, hardened exterior. Most likely a reaction to her mother's death when she had determined herself to get revenge no matter what she had to do. Clark's glad they got her off that kick.

Andrea's next cleaning act is scooping up lots of pieces of paper scattered about her lounge. She drops one and Clark picks it and notices a name. "Acrata? Wasn't that your mother's organisation?"

"Yeah. After she..uh..."

Clark can see that it is still very painful for her. He places a supporting hand on her arm and conveys a soft, understanding expression.

Andrea manages a tiny smile as the warmth from his hand seeps into her. "Afterwards, as you know, I was in hospital recovering from my heart surgery and it all just fell apart without my mom to run it. I've been trying to see if I can get it up and running again," she explains what all the paperwork is. She felt the best way to honour her mother was to try and continue her work.

"That's wonderful," Clark says genuinely.

"It's a lot more complicated than I thought. I don't know how she did it," Andrea says, expressing pride in her mother in her tone. She peels her mask off, slips her coat off and throws it over the back of a chair. She had never bothered to get dressed back into her more normal clothes. Luckily she lived on the top floor of her apartment block and could sneak in and out through the roof entrance. She runs her hands through her hair loosening it up.

Clark has the momentary thought of how sexy that looks and then mentally berates himself. Seriously he needs to get off this rebound thing. Andrea's a friend who needs his help. He shouldn't be thinking about how sexy she looks.

"So, uh, you need anything to drink or eat?" Andrea offers. "Not sure what I've got left. I, um, usually eat myself out of house and home these days," she explains, nervously, wondering why she suddenly feels like that first time she invited a boy over to her apartment. Like most of her love life that was a complete disaster.

Clark grins. "Accelerated metabolism. I understand that...and thank you, but no. I'm fine."

"You're su..." she was about to ask but is stopped mid-sentence by herself yawning.

"Get some sleep and first thing tomorrow we'll sort this," Clark gently instructs her. She did look tired.

"Are you're certain the couch is ok for you? It's not that comfortable," she expresses her concern for his comfort.

"It'll be fine," Clark assures her. "I don't need a huge amount of sleep."

Andrea looks at him curiously. There was a lot she still didn't know about him but she would like to know. She goes and grabs him a blanket. "Well, goodnight," she says to him.

"Buenas noches. Tener sueños agradables," Clark returns.

Andrea's eyebrows rise slightly. "You speak Spanish?" she queries because that was 'Goodnight. Have pleasant dreams'.

"I decided to learn it," Clark plays it off, trying not to sound like it's a big deal.

"Your pronunciation needs a little work," Andrea mildly criticises. "You need to get your tongue around it a little more."

"Oh and would you be willing to offer to help me get my tongue around a little more?" he asks, his voice dropping several octaves.

Andrea shivers at the suggestiveness. "Oh I'm certain I could give a personal demonstration of how to roll a tongue around...the...um.." she struggles to finish that as he moves closer, right up against her almost.

"Words," he says softly. "Roll a tongue around the words."

"Uh huh...or other stuff." He was too close. She couldn't think. "Cama. Me voy a la cama ahora," she says, slipping in to Spanish, which is what she does when she isn't thinking. It's more her first language than English is. 'Bed. I'm going to bed now,' is what she said.

Andrea almost sprints into her bedroom and closes the door. She leans up against it, breathing hard. She almost asked him to join her in here but a small part of her brain rebelled against the notion and that part stopped her doing so.

What is going on with her?

Sure Clark's...devastatingly gorgeous but she doesn't know him that well and she isn't the sort of woman who sleeps with a guy she just met. That goes double after she got her powers. It's all too complicated. What right does she have to be happy when her mother is gone?

Sure she could sleep with Clark for the purely physical kick but as she was just thinking that isn't her.

_'Ok, Andi. Get a grip,'_ she mentally tells herself. _'Yeah. A grip on Clark,' _a naughty voice suggests. Andrea shakes her head. Alright. She's attracted to him. Has been from that moment on the rooftop. They connected. It happens. It'll pass because it has to. She isn't emotionally ready for a relationship. It's the thing about being a reporter. You tend to try and logically analyse everything, even your own emotions. Her pain over her mother is still so raw so no she isn't ready.

Andrea pushes herself off the door and changes for bed.

* * *

_'Clark, what are you doing?'_ he asks himself because he is pretty certain he just all but made the offer to Andrea to do things he told himself weren't going to happen.

That woman. There was just something about her that drew him in. Maybe it was because she was a costumed hero like him. Sure so was Spidey and while Peter was cute in his own way Clark doesn't swing that way...and he's monologuing to himself more than Peter does right now isn't he?

Clark feels like she should slap himself or something.

Couch. Lie down on it. Get some sleep. Try not to think about that sexy woman lying in her bed not too far away in probably little cloth...Arrrghhh!

Clark mentally screams at himself.

_'That's not helping!' _he mentally shouts at himself.

He walks over to the couch and sits himself down. His eyes gaze over to Andrea's shut bedroom door. He has never been more tempted to use his x-ray vision in his life. After all he has to wonder what she wears to bed.

His eyes widen as he realises what he just thought.

_'No, Kent. You don't wonder what she wears to be__d__,'_ he tells himself. _'Nope. You don't wonder whether she sleeps in pyjamas or t-shirt and shorts or maybe just her underwear...or maybe nothing at all.'_

Clark shuts his eyes, leans his head back and lets out a groan as he tries to drive the images out of his brain. It's going to be a looonnggg night!

* * *

_Author's Note: Oh Empath, what a douche you are but one who can generate so much fun. And Bart's employer is a big scary voice. Now who's the man behind the voice? My poll on Bart's fate remains open so please vote if you haven't already. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; We find out how the brawl between the X-Men and the Hellions ended and Clark and Andrea work together to track down their superfast thief._


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

**Bayville...**

The police cells of Bayville have some very special guests this dark early morning. Namely, the famous X-Men and the not so famous for now but will be shortly, Hellions. Both teams were supporting some mean looking bruises.

Of course both groups could escape easily. The X-Men don't because they respect the law. The Hellions don't because in a phone call to Ms Frost as they were being arrested she ordered them to play along and not to reveal themselves...or else face the consequences!

They were in adjacent holding cells ignoring each other...except for Alex and Jen who were still flirting with each other. Scott would need to have some words with his brother later. Scott, who, was horribly humiliated at this. The X-Men, under his leadership, in jail for brawling in a club. He took it as a personal failure on his part.

This part of Scott could be tiring, Jean would admit. He heaped far too much on his shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder and sent soothing thoughts to him.

Kitty was attending to her boyfriend who was sporting a beauty of a shiner on his left eye courtesy of Beef.

It wasn't the first black eye Peter had ever had but somehow they never seem to sting any less. He lets out a weary sigh.

"I'm sorry," Kitty says suddenly.

Peter looks at her with a confused expression. "What are you sorry for?"

"You only got that eye defending me," she feels guilty about.

"I'm not sorry," Peter says. "I would offer both eyes defending my lady's honour," he says, trying to sound chivalrous.

Kitty smiles gently. Her hand gently strokes his cheek. "What will you tell your aunt?"

"The truth," Peter says. For once he didn't really have to make an excuse. "I'll just tell her I was out with my girlfriend and a fight broke out and we got caught in the middle."

Kitty leans into him.

Peter gently raises her arm which has a thin line of scratch marks on it courtesy of Catseye. "Does it hurt?" he asks with loving concern.

"A little," Kitty confesses they sting. "But I got her back though," she says with a little relish.

"That you did," Peter recalls the beat down Kitty gave the part-cat girl. He still finds it a little surprising that his sweet girlfriend can fight like she does. Surprising...and nice. It's nice to know she can take care of herself.

"They're sweet together," Betsy whisper to Terry, gesturing at Kitty and Peter.

"Aye," Terry agrees.

"You're smiling," Betsy notices about Terry. "You enjoyed that fight didn't you?"

"Must be th' Irish in me," Terry explains not denying she didn't enjoy it because she did.

"What did you do to Julian to make him smack himself with that chair?" Betsy wonders.

Terry sniggers as she remembers it. "It's part of me power. I can elevate me voice int' hypersonics. It works like hypnosis."

"Huh. You're like those creatures from Greek legend. You know the ones who lured sailors to their death by singing. God, what are they called again?"

"Sirens," Jean pipes up, showing off her education. "They're called Sirens."

"That's it. Sirens. Thanks Jean, luv," Betsy expresses her gratitude. "Hey, maybe you should use that for a codename?" she suggests to Terry since she didn't have one yet. Neither did Betsy. She couldn't think of an appropriate one.

"Siren," Terry chews the word over. "Maybe but perhaps drop th' e and use a y instead. I think that would be better. So Siryn," she says, trying to emphasise the difference. Yeah, that sounds pretty good to Terry.

Claire has her arm around Marie. The French girl would keep glancing over at her former teammates whom she spent last night fighting with. She and Jen...well Marie can officially say their friendship was over the moment they slugged each other in the face.

Roberto was sitting in the corner furthest away from the Hellions, stewing. About everything. He wondered where Amara had gotten to since she hadn't been there when they got arrested. He also can't believe her...and he can't believe himself. He's never reacted like that over any girl...ever. He just felt...he couldn't stand it, the way she was letting that French boy touch her.

You know what Roberto isn't sorry he started this. He would do it all over again, he decides. When he gets out of here he and Amara need to have a serious discussion about her behaviour. It was totally inappropriate the way she was behaving and he isn't going to allow it.

In the Hellions' cell Julian is still rubbing his head, still at a loss what made him hit himself with that damn chair. Catseye was curled up next to him on the bench, trying not to think about how much she is hurting. She's like a wounded animal in many senses, curled up trying to protect herself. And she is hating being in this cell. Like an animal she hates confinement.

Beef is sporting his own shiner to match the one he gave that little smart-mouthed puke.

"I can't believe you let that little pipsqueak beat you," Bevatron remarks to Beef.

The huge boy looks down at his teammate with a sour expression. "He got lucky," is his only defence. Although Beef does briefly question how human that boy is. He can't see how a normal human could beat him no matter how fast and agile they might be. Luckily for Peter and his secret identity Beef ain't the sharpest tool in the box and will never put it together.

"Right," Bevatron says, not buying that. They're all going to be making fun of Beef for this for ages. He rubs his aching jaw where Roberto slugged him. Bevatron got him back though. He hit the little punk quite a few times during their brawl.

Jen was actually smiling as she exchanged some flirtatious comments with Alex. At least there was one X-Man who seemed to have a sense of fun. With her and Julian on a 'break'(basically she got bored with him) she wonders if Alex is interested in filling the void.

Firestar is sitting, leaning back against the wall. Oh yeah, last night went well. Ms Frost keeps telling her she is special yet she and Claire just fought each other to a standstill. If she was truly special she should have won. It really bugs her, the way Claire just walked out. They were friends. Good friends, they trained together, they shared a bond over their similar powers. Angelica even misses those times they went flying together and yet despite it all Claire just upped and left without a single word. There was certainly no goodbye. Whatever happened to commitment to the cause and loyalty? Claire seems to have none. Angelica closes her eyes and tries to blot out the sting of what she deems to be betrayal.

* * *

Outside the police station the Professor's car pulls up. Logan and Storm get out before aiding the Professor out. They were here to bail the kids out.

"I am going to gut them," Logan promises.

"Logan," Ororo says simply, giving him a look.

"Don't give me that look, Ro. They crossed the line this time."

Charles wasn't jumping to any conclusion just yet but in one way Logan was correct. "They shall be disciplined, Logan," he says. "This is unacceptable behaviour for our students."

That seems to partly placate Logan.

Charles then stiffens in his chair as he senses a familiar mind approaching and pulling up comes a white car and out of it steps Emma Frost and a brown haired woman.

"Frosty," Logan curtly acknowledges her presence.

"Logan," Emma returns the sentiment. "Ororo," she also greets the white haired woman which Ororo returns. "Charles," she greets her old teacher.

"Emma," Charles returns it.

The woman next to Emma coughs. "You remember my sister, Adrienne, don't you," Emma introduces her older sister, her voice even frostier than normal.

Recognition trickles into Charles' consciousness. "Indeed. I do. How are you, Adrienne?"

Adrienne flashes her own version of that Frost smile of indifference. "Professor Xavier. I am doing splendidly."

Charles remembers Emma's dislike of her whole family and it apparently hasn't diminished. He can sense Emma's loathing. Either it is so strong she can't block it or she doesn't care about the fact he can pick it up. "What brought you two back together?" he wonders.

"We're sisters. I thought it time we put the past behind us and work for a better future. After all I am a mutant too," Adrienne gives what sounds like a well thought-out prepared answer.

"Yes. Work for a better future," Emma parrots her sister's words with zero warmth. "Now lets us both retrieve our students shall we?" she proposes.

"Yes," Charles agrees.

They head inside and Ororo asks, "This is a little bit out of the way for a night out for your students, isn't it Emma?"

Emma shrugs. "I told them they could unwind. Where they went to do that I left up to them. I mean a few of the shyer students simply stay at the Academy," she plays it off like this means nothing. "But rest assured, this sort of rumbustious behaviour is unacceptable. They shall be disciplined like I expect you will with your students?"

"I leave that to Logan," Charles replies. "I'm certain you remember his disciplines."

"Indeed," Emma says with a peculiar face. She would rather forget them.

Logan smirks at her tone and expression. What he would give to be able to give her one of his punishments right now.

* * *

**Metropolis...**

Clark really hadn't slept much but had found ways to distract himself from his less than wholesome thoughts and feelings towards Andrea. By the sound of her breathing he would guess she is still asleep.

Clark rises off the couch and stretches his legs by walking around the lounge. His eyes roam around the room. You can pick up things about people from the stuff they keep lying around. From Andrea's magazine choices he would guess that under that mild-mannered exterior beats the heart of a...how should he phrase it? Biker chick. He is not meaning that in any derogatory way.

After all Clark likes bikes. Use to have a Harley Davidson. It...well when he was laying all his ghosts down from his Kal rampage a couple of summers back he left the bike behind. That and he kinda messed it up by driving it through that bank window.

Shame. He really liked that bike.

Clark continues his perusings. A few photos of Andrea and what he assumes is her mother. Clark picks up a trophy hidden behind one. His lips quirk slightly when he sees what she won it for.

It was for coming first in a gymnastics competition. He didn't know she did gymnastics. She had never mentioned that to him in any of their conversations. From the date on the trophy this was several years ago now.

Clark's sensitive hearing picks up Andrea shuffling out of her bed. He turns his head as she opens the door and tries to ignore the disappointment in the fact she is wearing an over-sized t-shirt and sweat pants that completely hide her figure. "Good morning," he greets her. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," Andrea replies still half asleep. "You?"

"I got as much sleep as I needed," Clark gives the slightly strange reply.

"I'm, uh, I'm going to hit the shower and then we can get started on looking from that guy from last night," she says.

As Andrea disappears into the shower Clark knows he has to get out of here. He'll be able to hear the water slushing over her naked body and his brain will fill in the rest. Having raided what was left of Andrea's kitchen last night he knows there is nothing for breakfast so he'll pop out, get something for the both of them and make sure not to be back too soon.

Clark grabs his jacket and turns it inside out. It's reversible and it is just plain red, like his normal jacket he wears. It helps him blend in a little better. With that he is out the door.

Andrea turns her shower on and tests the water with her hand. It's never hot enough any more even when she has it roasting, to her it's only barely tolerable. She hates this part of her power. Unlike Clark she can remember what normal was like.

Clark...she hadn't been able to sleep much with him outside. Her mind kept wandering to what would happen if she invited him in. Maybe she should be having a really cold shower instead...except she doesn't feel the cold the same either.

It was a long night. It's going to be a long day but she needs to wake up and focus. She needs to find the thief who stole her wallet and...she hasn't figured out the next bit but it involves somehow making sure her secret identity remains that. Secret.

* * *

**Bayville...**

The Professor and Emma bail out their respective teams and both step out the police station at the same time. There is perceptible hostility between the two groups of students. You can feel the tension in the air.

"You got lucky, you little punk," Beef mutters at Peter with hostility.

"Why don't you, like, back off, Godzuki," Kitty warns the large teen.

Peter chuckles. Godzuki. That was good.

"Ooh," Beef mock shivers. "And what are you going to do about it if I don't?"

"How about phase my hand into your chest and pull your heart out," Kitty threatens him, sounding deadly serious, mad as hell at him for hurting her Pete.

"You want a rematch?" Kind Bedlam asks them.

"Any time," Scott retorts.

"Enough," Charles says sternly. "Emma, please. Hasn't there been enough excitement for one day?" he requests his former student to put an end to this.

"Yes. There has," Emma agrees.

"I agree with my sister," Adrienne says. "You must stop all this hostility and learn to get along. You're going to need to."

"What does that mean?" Storm wonders.

Adrienne smiles knowingly. It's a worrying smile. "I mean you all are going to have to get use to seeing each other." She looks to her sister. "Emma, explain, please," she basically instructs the white-clothed woman.

Emma's snowy-blue eyes narrow a little in annoyance at being ordered around...and at the fact she wouldn't have told Charles this in advance but she has no choice but to do as she is told for as long as Adrienne has the Lord Imperial's ear. "It means as of yesterday I own the Boarding House the Brotherhood use to reside in and after some renovation we'll be moving in. You have to get use to each other because I'm turning it into an annex of my Academy."

Charles, Logan, Storm, the X-Men, the Hellions too, all look utterly stunned.

"Y-you have to be joking?" Jean stutters out.

Emma grins, taking pleasure at Jean's displeasure. That at least compensated a little for having to obey her sister. "Afraid not, Jean dear. And oh, Scott, darling, that means we'll be able to see so much more of each other," Emma can't resist saying, adding to the discomfort of Jean and Scott.

Scott's face drains of colour. "Then...you...that means..." he can't even say it.

Emma's grin gets all the wider. "That's right. The Hellions are coming to Bayville."

* * *

**Metropolis...**

Andrea emerges from the bathroom to find Clark with food and coffee laid out across her small table in the lounge. "You went shopping?"

"Just to Starbucks. You like coffee, right?"

"Clark, I work at the Planet. I do nothing but drink coffee all day."

"You and Chloe are so alike, it's spooky," Clark jokes with a shake of his head.

Andrea arches an eyebrow at him. She likes Chloe but she doesn't think they're that alike.

"Anyway I just got the entire breakfast menu," Clark informs her.

"Clark that's enough for 4 or 5 people."

"Darn. You're right. I should have gotten more for us," Clark half says in jest. As Andrea said she no doubt does eat a hell of lot now and Clark can pack it away...although technically he eats for the tastes because he doesn't strictly need to eat anything.

Andrea's lips curl up into a smile.

Now that she should do more often Clark decides. She has a beautiful smile. He pats down the space on the couch indicating where she should sit.

Andrea sits down with quite a smooth, graceful movement Clark notices. That would be the gymnast in her he realises. Clark sits down next to her shares the food between them.

"So what's the plan?" Andrea asks between bites.

"Like I said, we're reporters," Clark replies between bites. "We find out if our thief shows up anywhere else and see if anyone ever had a lead on his identity. I have a couple of friends in the Bayville PD."

"I have a couple in Metropolis PD," Andrea returns. Of course she does. She's a reporter. They have links, sources. It's part of the job.

"You ever heard of anyone like this guy before in Metropolis?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"Whether the reports I know were you. You did mention a rebellious phase."

Clark grimaces slightly. "Yeah. I can tell you what ones were me."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Andrea finds herself offering. He's listened to her a lot these last few weeks. The least she can do is offer to listen to him.

"Not really. I was going through a bad time. Just leave it at that for now...please," he requests, not ready to share with her the detail required to explain that.

"Fair enough," Andrea accepts. She knows all about going through bad times. "But if you ever feel like talking I'm here," she offers.

"Thanks," Clark says and then pauses momentarily at Andrea's easy acceptance of his sidestepping of the story. Rogue would have thrown a hissy fit...and he means that in the nicest way possible. His point is Rogue would have seen it as him keeping secrets which she couldn't stand. Andrea isn't being that pushy. It's odd because it's a change from what Clark has become use to. It's a very pleasant change Clark must say.

* * *

**Bayville...**

At one of Bayville's more upmarket Bistros another couple of people are having coffee and breakfast. Only these are two people who aren't all that close. They are the Professor and Emma.

Charles had managed to persuade Emma to join him so they could talk about what she had said, alone and in private, without other people throwing their opinions in.

Emma sips on her high-end coffee. _"Not bad," _she telepathically remarks.

"_From you Emma that's practically adulation," _Charles returns dryly.

"_Why don't you cut to it, Charles. I didn't agree to come here for my health."_

"_What is going on Emma?"_

"_Haven't the foggiest what you mean."_

"_Yes, you do," _Charles bluntly contradicts her._ "You didn't make any effort to shield your feelings about your sister. I recall how much you don't like your family."_

"_I don't have a say on it."_

"_You didn't...this is to do with the Lord Imperial's visit isn't it," _Charles figures out.

Emma looks at him, positively shocked. _"How did..."_

"_Oh, I have my ways. You really didn't imagine I would__n't__ keep an eye on your associates after our __last encounter?"_

Emma must make a note to figure out how Charles knew that. _"The Lord Imperial has decided I need a babysitter," _she projects bitterly.

"_Your sister?"_

"_My sister,"_ Emma says with a mental sneer, confirming what she sees Adrienne's role to be.

"_I see. And coming to Bayville?"_

"_I must prove the Hellions are superior to your X-Men to get back into their good graces."_

"_Why are you telling me this?"_ Charles asks her, puzzled she would just openly admit it.

"_So you can prepare, Charles. I want your X-Men to be at their best when I defeat you."_

"_And is that it? After our last encounter I can't imagine anyone in the Inner Circle is fond of me."_

"_No. They're not. However, Charles, whatever you think of us we're not so petty to seek vengeance. We are above such things. We are the best, the elite and must constantly prove so."_

"_Must get tiring. There are no such demands at my Institute."_

Emma snorts at the implication of her returning to that place. _"Not a chance, old man. I've already experienced your flawed teachings and when I prove how flawed they truly are your precious X-Men will join me."_

"_I believe you'll find your belief quite mistaken," _Charles says, confident in his students' commitment to the cause.

"_Whatever helps you sleep at night," _Emma smirks.

Emma is trying to hit him at what she perceives a weak spot, his love for his students. Two can play that game. Charles knows one weak spot she has. _"And Selene? Is she above such petty vengeance?"_

Emma becomes instantly uncomfortable. Just enough for Charles to sense a few feelings that show something has transpired recently between Emma and Selene. She quickly refocuses her mind. _"Selene is still recuperating from our last encounter. This has nothing to do with her," _Emma says and can't quite hide her hatred for the immortal sorceress.

"_Whatever helps you sleep at night," _Charles fires her own words back at her.

Emma scowls and hers is pretty ferocious. _"We're coming, Charles and we're coming to stay. You better start getting ready."_

"_I believe the appropriate response is ditto. You better start getting ready for us, Emma because we're staying too."_

The two telepaths exchange severe glares at each other that end in a stalemate.

Emma finishes her coffee before elegantly rising to her feet. Most of the male costumers there and a couple of female ones instantly find their eyes heading in Emma's direction. She just has that effect on people. She strides for the exit, leaving Charles to pick up the bill. Personally this is not how she would have done this but unfortunately it isn't her sole decision. Adrienne will be the death of her but currently her older sister has the Lord Imperial's ear so Emma just has to grin and bear it.

Emma steps outside and tries to ignore the January chill. When the Lord Imperial told her to destroy the X-Men Emma knew what he meant. He meant literally destroy...as in kill. So barbaric and unnecessary. This is why she prefers to ally herself with Shaw, normally. He understands subtlety. Why kill when she can destroy the X-Men by having them join her Hellions. In the end it's the same result. Charles' foolish dream will be dead, she can show him for what he is, she can show up her sister while she's at it(always worth any price) and once she has her new combined team she will be in a stronger position than ever within the Inner Circle. No-one would dare mess with her when she that much power at her command. Not even Selene.

The key to this is Scott. Emma has got to prise him away from Jean. As leader he carries the most weight with his team. If he joins her, willingly, most of them will follow. And she will admit to personally still finding herself very attracted to him. When she was at the Institute he was the one who made time for her...unlike Jean...not that Emma ever cared what Jean thought. She didn't then. She doesn't now. Emma has never cared what anyone has ever thought of her. As long as she knows she is doing what she must that is all that matters.

Charles leans back in his chair. This is going to be a problem...which is a massive understatement. He knew Emma would try something sooner rather than later but he never expected this. The Hellions in Bayville. Saying that he believes this is not the way Emma would have chosen to do this. The trouble last night...just wasn't her style and then just coming out and telling him. Oh he doesn't believe she is telling him everything but no, not her style. This must be Adrienne's doing.

And that is the weakness in this scenario. Charles knows the two sisters can't stand each other. Their rivalry will be a division that can be exploited.

Charles can't know what is coming but he does have total belief in his students and their ability to ride this through and come out the other side. In the end that belief in his students and his dream and the fact it will prevail through any conflagration, that is what matters.

* * *

**Daily Planet, Metropolis...**

Andrea had managed to sneak Clark into work unseen. Not hard really at the speed he can move at and if he doesn't have the jacket on he doesn't look too odd just in case someone spots him. Together they had spent half the morning working on tracking their thief down and Andrea must admit to being fascinated at seeing this side of Clark. There was times she just found herself watching him for minutes on end as he researched or spoke on the phone to his contacts. There was just...it's hard to describe, a way about him.

Andrea has a mild-mannered act...but it's that. It's an act. Deep down she's kind of a hard, no nonsense person. Her alter ego, who puts the fear of God into criminals is closer to the real her than the Andrea that works at the Planet. Clark on the other hand...it's not that he isn't being serious but he hides it under a joviality and easy going, laid back style that still gets results done. Although if he would cut down on the jokes she would prefer it. Andrea has never been one who liked anything or anyone that was overly silly.

Andrea turns her attention to her computer and some of the areas Clark had researched about people with superhuman abilities. "So where did you learn where to look? At the Xavier Institute?" she wonders.

Clark shakes his head. "No. Long before that. I was born as I am and for a long time I wondered if there was anyone like me. This was before mutants were known," he explains.

Andrea looks and listens to him intently. There is a lot of emotion in his voice. A sort of...longing she guesses, for him not to so alone and unique.

"Anyway I did a lot of looking for people like me," he continues his explanation, which he did. He thinks he still has all the piles of research somewhere. He really must sort through his clutter one day. "You have to go to some...places on the fringe," he informs Andrea that basically to find what you need you have to go off the beaten, well used track.

"Crackpots and cranks you mean," Andrea summarises it differently.

"I prefer to think of them as eccentric...and they were right as it turns out."

Andrea would have to let him have that one. "So what about our thief?"

Clark steps over to her computer and pulls up the forums he's been on. You'd be surprised what you can find on these places. "There's nothing specific. A few rumours of some superfast person. Some of those might be Quicksilver but you mentioned something about golden lightning coming off him?"

Andrea nods.

Clark retrieves some old papers and hands them over. "One of my online friends advised to look into the archives about that and it does get a few mentions in the Planet archives. Something about strange golden lightning storms and then rumours of heroes who move so fast no-one sees anything but a red/gold blur."

Andrea's brow furrows. That sounds just like their thief. "Clark, these stories go back decades. He was a teenage boy," she points out.

"Oh I'm not saying it was him," Clark clarifies. "But the Professor can't pick him up so he got his powers some other way. Therefore the conclusion is..."

"These storms had something to do with it and he's not the first," Andrea catches on.

"It's only a theory," Clark concedes.

Andrea nods in agreement but it's a good theory. "You did all this in a few hours?"

"I can speed read," Clark explains that off.

Andrea was very impressed. How can you not be.

Clark's phone rings and he answers it. "Hey Chlo...uh huh...right...where?...got it...thank you, Chloe. I owe you."

Andrea waits as Clark ends the call. "What was that about?"

Clark grins. "You remember what you said that he would have to be a moron if he didn't throw your credit cards away?"

"Oh you are kidding me?!" Andrea exclaims as she understands the meaning.

Clark shakes his head. "Nope."

"He's a total idiot!"

"Apparently so. According to Chloe he's used it to book a motel room." Chloe had been monitoring Andrea's credit cards for him as a favour.

"Right then. Lets go," Andrea declares as she stands up.

Clark places his hands on her shoulders and stops her. "Wait, wait, wait. Perhaps you should let me handle this," he proposes.

"They're my cards! It's my identity he knows!" Andrea reminds him, deeply agitated, deeply anxious.

"I know," Clark says in complete understanding. "But if he's as fast as you say...don't take this the wrong way, please, you won't be able to help. Trust me to handle this?"

Clark is giving her a pleading expression and Andrea really doesn't want to concede to it.

Clark is hoping she does. Not just because of the speed thing but he's worried Andrea will try and just beat this guy into submission. From talking to her about her nights out she isn't much for the talking and more for the intimidating and violence approach. That just risks scaring this guy off and never seeing him again. Clark needs to see what type of person he is first before deciding what actions need to be taken.

"This is against my better judgement," Andrea starts to say.

Clark grins. "Thanks," he says just before he kisses her on her forehead and vanishes with his usual gust of wind.

Andrea touches the spot where he kissed her. It's slightly tingling. Letting him go in exchange for that was a good deal.

* * *

Bart returns to the room he hired in this motel after having popped out to get a snack to assuage his ravenous hunger. He opens the door to find someone there. A tall, well-built guy with curly dark hair dressed in a blue t-shirt, blue pants and red boots. "Dude. You lost? You know, because I guess you must be, because this is my room," he says with a little hostility.

Clark arches an eyebrow at the rather scrawny...kid with fairly short blond hair. Geez he had to be 2 or 3 years younger than Clark himself was. "Technically it's my friend's since you used her credit cards to pay for it," he accuses.

"I didn't take anything from anybody," Bart insists.

"You can save the innocent act. I had all the charges traced you're trying to stick on her after you stole her wallet," Clark says for this boy to drop the act.

Bart then notices how all his things are strewn across the floor. "And you went through my backpack. Man, that's an invasion with privacy, messing with my stuff," he complains as he picks it all up.

"Your stuff? You stole all this," Clark can make the reasonable assumption. It certainly wasn't this kid's. Clark's educated guess; superfast pickpocketing.

"Yeah? Prove it," Bart dares.

"I'm sure that wouldn't be too hard...but that's not why I'm here...Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, whatever your name really is," Clark lists off the 3 fake IDs he found.

"It's Bart," Bart requests to be called.

"Kal," Clark taps in his chest giving Bart a name he can use.

"Why are you here, man?"

"My friend, whose wallet you stole. She has her concerns."

"Can I get a description?"

Clark might as well. It can't hurt at this stage since Bart already knows Andrea's identity. "Long black coat, black mask."

Bart's face lights up. "Oh the señorita in the tower. You know her?"

Clark nods.

"Man, gotta tell ya she is one hot tamale," he says with a large grin.

"Show some respect," Clark finds himself snapping.

"Whoa easy. I meant no disrespect to your girl."

"She's not my girl," Clark slightly snaps with an intense expression.

"Oh does that mean I have a chance?"

"No. You stole her wallet...and her identity," Clark gets onto why he is here.

Bart cottons on. "Look, dude, I've got no interest in exposing her alright. I just needed a room. So here's the deal. You leave me alone, I keep my mouth shut...and I think that's pretty fair considering I can be a thousand miles away before you can even blink," he says, trying to make it sound like a threat.

"I don't know. I can blink pretty fast," Clark fires back.

"What do you want, man?" Bart just wants it cut to. He hates long conversations.

"You and I are gonna sit down for a long talk until I'm satisfied my friend's secret is kept like that; secret."

Great. The overprotective boyfriend. Bart so doesn't need this. "I'm not big on the chit-chat, dude. Smell you later," he smirks as he blurs out the door. He looks behind him...only to his surprise to find this guy right behind him, keeping with him step by step.

Clark chases Bart through Metropolis finding it next to impossible to close the gap. He knows he can move faster than this. What he is capable of is more than his body is ready for. Jor-El's words. He tries to will himself to accelerate and starts to close the gap just as they reach Metropolis' docks on the lake.

Clark skids to a halt...as who he was chasing just keeps going, running off across the water. "What...?" Clark mutters in utter befuddlement. Run across water? Seriously? Well there's a trick Clark didn't know.

He places his hands on his hips and contemplates the consequences of his failure. Andrea might just kill him.

* * *

"He ran across the water?" Andrea asks Clark to repeat as she opens the door to her apartment.

Clark can only raise his hands a little and shrug helplessly.

"You can't do that?"

"I've never tried to do it, no. It may not be as simple for me."

"In what way?"

"My body's kinda dense."

"Oh I know you're dense," Andrea says a tad hostile, implying something else entirely.

Clark could correct her but he's afraid she would slug him. "Look, I'm sorry Andrea."

"Sorry doesn't get my wallet back and it doesn't get this guy. I knew I should never have let you talk me into letting you go alone!" she says in raised tones.

Clark can hear the anger in her voice. He can't entirely blame her.

"This is just brilliant!" Andrea complains to the universe. She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose.

Clark stands awkwardly, not sure what to do. His instinct is to want to comfort her somehow.

Andrea takes a few deep breaths. "I do this to honour mom and I screw up," she mutters softly, her voice full of pain, blaming herself more than she is blaming Clark. If she hadn't been so stupid in the first place they would never be here.

Clark's heart goes out to her and he reaches out and rubs her arm. "Hey," he says softly.

Andrea looks up at him.

Clark smiles with a soft reassuring look. "Don't blame yourself. I know you want to and believe me I've done that plenty to myself. Mistakes are...human."

Andrea smiles ever so slightly. One thing she hasn't felt like much lately has been human. She can remember what human feels like and what she is now is so far removed from it some days she wonders what the hell she is. Clark's the only one who has made her feel normal lately. His touch, his warmth, his...companionship.

"I gave my word I wasn't leaving and I'm not. We'll find him. We'll fix this," he repeats his promise. Clark gently cups her face and he strokes her cheek with his thumb.

Andrea's breath shortens at the electric feel of his hand. She looks directly into his eyes and he looks into hers. Their faces drift toward each other.

"You two are so cute together. Do you know that?"

That's like a bucket of ice water thrown over them. Clark and Andrea's heads snap round to look inside her apartment and there sitting on her couch, with his feet on her table, a cheeky grin on his face is the boy known as Bart Allen.

"What took you guys so long?"

* * *

_Author's Note: Yep, they got arrested. And does anyone else get the impression that want Emma is planning is nothing like what her sister and the Lord Imperial desire? And Bart just has this way to grow on ya doesn't he? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My poll on Bart's fate is still open for anyone who hasn't voted yet. Next up; Clark and Andrea spend some 'quality' time with Bart._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"Bart?" Clark queries with complete surprise at seeing the superspeedy younger teen again so soon...and especially just sitting there in Andrea's apartment.

"Bart!" Andrea snarls at learning who this is. Clark had told her his name.

"That's my name, señorita," Bart quips and then tries to say don't wear it out only his Spanish isn't quite up to it. "No lo deje salir."

"That means don't put it out you little..." Andrea switches to Spanish and lists a whole litany of curses at him as she rushes across her living room and tries to throttle him.

Clark blurs after her and tries to hold her back...which is considerably harder than one might think, even for him. Geez she was strong.

Bart zips behind the couch for protection. "Whoa dude. You date violent types," he remarks.

Clark is about to correct him but his brain has to take a moment to replay his love life. Rogue could certainly be violent. Lana...ok skip Lana. Kyla had her issues and Chloe does like to hit him. Ok so maybe he can't argue Bart's assumption that easily. He is totally missing out on the point he should simply be correcting Bart on the fact he isn't dating Andrea.

"I'll kill him," Andrea swears.

Clark is forced to wrap his arms around Andrea, pinning her arms to her side and lifting her off the ground and hold her that way but she is still struggling with him, her legs kicking the air and kicking him which is bordering on the painful. "What are you doing here, Bart? How did you get here?" Clark asks.

Bart holds up Andrea's ID which has her address on it. That's how he knew where to come. "I'm returning it. See no harm, no foul, no need to keep looking for me alright," he tries to make a deal.

Andrea's struggles lessen and Clark eases his hold on her, placing her back down on the ground but still loosely having his arms around her just in case.

Bart places the ID down on the table along with Andrea's press badge which he also brought along with her credit cards. With these returned he sees no reason they need to keep looking for him. "So before I go I've got to know one thing," he raises.

"What?" Andrea asks him.

"Talking to your boyfriend," Bart points out.

"He's not...!"

"Andrea," Clark says in a stern tone. "Calm down, please."

Andrea forcibly pulls her temper in. Clark finally releases her and she straightens her clothes out.

Bart eyes her warily before looking at Clark. "So Kal, wasn't it?" he asks to have the name confirmed.

"Yes," Clark confirms.

"Dude, man, I know there are these mutants all over these days but I've never seen anyone who could move like me. Well, because, you know Fastest Man alive," Bart boasts about himself.

"I know someone else who can move like us," Clark mentions.

"Really? Have to race him sometime so I can keep my title."

"You're not a mutant...at least not an x-gene one," Clark knows.

Bart smiles almost a little as if this is prompting a painful memory. "Nah. I was just a normal Jimmy Crack Corn type you know, then one day, couple of years ago, there was this lightning storm, struck me and ever since my body's been in overdrive."

"What happened to you that you have to live on the streets?" Andrea asks, the reporter in her kicking in. Why else would he be stealing credit cards to book motel rooms unless he has no home to go to. "Where are your parents?"

Bart shrugs. "Don't know. Everything before that lightning strike is kind of fuzzy," he says, trying to make light of something that is not light at all.

"So you've been living rough ever since," Clark supposes.

"I prefer to think I've been tearing it up. You should join me. We'd be unstoppable," Bart makes the offer.

"Unstoppable at what? Stealing everything in sight?" Andrea accuses him.

"Look, señorita..."

"Stop calling me that," Andrea says, her teeth grinding against each other, fixing him a fearsome scowl.

Bart holds his hands up. He figures her anger at him is about him using her cards. "Look, don't even sweat it alright. They don't charge if your card's stolen."

"And that makes it alright?" Andrea asks incredulously. "And what about your little heist at Lexcorp the other night?"

Bart shrugs. "Hey corporate secrets are big money these days. I just have a talent for it."

Andrea can't believe he is making some pathetically lame excuses for his criminal actions.

Clark is a little more sympathetic. "Look Bart. I know what it is like to have nothing. I ran away from home once. Tore up Metropolis as you might put it."

"What happened that turned you into dull and proper..." Bart blurs and throws something at Clark, "Mr Superman?"

It's Clark jacket that he left here. He guesses it is a big give-away. Clark throws it down on the chair. This is not about Superman lecturing someone. "Because there is no such thing as a victimless crime. I hurt a lot of people. I'll never do that again."

"I don't hurt anyone," Bart insists, truly believing that he doesn't. "I just take from the haves to help me get a room and stuff. I don't like spending nights on the streets. When I'm asleep I'm just as slow as everyone else." Bart can see the old sympathy expression. "Spare me the cow eyes, Stretch. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah. You're doing such a good job at that so far," Andrea mutters sarcastically in a scathing comment. Petty theft and theft for hire. Yeah. He's doing just sterling. She isn't as sympathetic as Clark. Maybe it's losing her mother that is responsible but she just can't tolerate the pathetic excuses people come up with any more to justify their actions...including herself which is why she now leaves Snake's fate to the proper authorities.

"Hey lets not talk about the poor little street urchin, ok?" Bart wants to get the subject off him. "I wanna know what makes Ms prim, proper librarian by day, dark avenger by night, tick."

"Reporter, not librarian," Andrea corrects him...and he should know that since he stole her press badge!

Bart blurs around the entire apartment. He tosses down her magazines. "Ooh, biker chick! I knew it!" he smirks. "Lets see here. You did gymnastics," he throws her trophy down. He holds a picture up. "And apparently are a mommy's girl," he remarks at the picture of Andrea and her mother close together, their arms around each other.

Andrea's face darkens and Clark makes a grab for her. "Easy. He doesn't know," he tries to gently warn her off from harming Bart.

"Know what?" Bart asks.

Clark looks into Andrea's face and can see her nod slightly to indicate he can say it. She can't. "Her mother was killed, murdered," he tells Bart.

Bart seems to sober up. "Sorry. Really," he means it. He knows that must suck. "Anyway," he quickly returns to his less serious personality. "Interesting locket," he comments as he holds up Andrea's.

Andrea reaches for her neck. He took it! That little...!

Bart flicks it open and the green rock inside glows. Clark coughs and wheezes as he stumbles back. Thing about his suit is, a, it works better with the jacket on and b, the protection part of it needs to actually be turned on via a switch on his belt which it currently isn't.

Andrea swipes the locket from Bart's hand and slams it shut. "Idiot!" she curses him.

"What?" Bart asks, utterly clueless as to what he did.

"I'm sort of allergic," Clark is forced to admit.

Bart looks at him strangely. "I've heard of people sneezing around cats and dogs and stuff, but never getting all weak in the knees over a rock."

"It's a long story." And not one Clark feels like sharing.

"Which is one I'm sure I would love to hear...after we get back."

"Get back from where?" Clark asks, lost at this sudden change of direction.

"Anywhere we want. I mean, dude, we are two super-powered studs here. Why else do you think I came back looking for you, man? Let's go crank it up, go have some fun!" Bart declares.

Clark's eyes narrow in deep thought. He turns his gaze to Andrea.

Bart notices and thinks Kal means can she come. "Look, dude, she can come if she wants but I think she'll slow us down."

Andrea is fiddling with her locket which Clark can see she has accidentally bent out of shape. Must have happened when she grabbed it. "Well she might be faster than you think," he comments.

Andrea stops fiddling and looks up at Clark with a puzzled expression. "What?" she asks, only half-listening to what was being said.

"How fast are you?" Clark asks.

Andrea struggles for an answer. "I don't know. Never timed myself."

"We could go find out?" he suggests and looks to Bart.

The idea of a race does appeal to Bart. "One condition. We head Miami way! I'm thinking, sun, sea, girls in bikinis!"

Andrea looks at Bart annoyed at his chauvinistic chatter. "Seriously why aren't I killing him again? Or at least beating him up severely?"

"Oy and mess up this face. You'd be denying the world one of it's 7 wonders," Bart boasts.

Andrea rolls her eyes.

Clark fishes out some money from his pocket, he always keeps a little cash on him for emergencies and hands it in Bart's direction. "Hey why don't you get us a snack for the road?" he suggests.

Bart is hungry. He's always hungry. He takes the couple of notes. "Sure, dude. Great idea!" he says as he heads for the door.

"Take your time," Clark says with a look, his eyes shifting back to Andrea.

Bart gets it. Kal wants to speak to her a minute. "Right," he says with a salute and vanishes.

Clark looks to Andrea who is back fiddling with her locket. He brings his hands on top of hers and guides her to bending it back into it's proper shape. Something he clearly has more experience of than her.

The touch of Clark's fingers on hers almost feels like an electric current. "What are you doing?" she asks, her voice suddenly a little breathless sounding.

"Helping you fix this."

"No. With Bart," she clarifies.

"Getting to know him."

"Why?"

"Andrea," he addresses her. "What is it you want?"

"My identity safe...and discovering who hired him to steal from Lexcorp," she lays out her two main priorities.

"How do you do it?"

Andrea's head cocks to the side as she thinks.

"Nothing that involves violence."

"I was just thinking of putting the fear of God into him."

"Which will risk him running off and even I'm not sure I could catch him but if we befriend him, earn his trust he might just willingly share. Besides you're not seeing the obvious."

Clearly she's not. "Which is?" she asks Clark to enlighten her.

"Why did he come here?"

Andrea is puzzled by that. It didn't make sense to her really when he could have been long gone.

"I think he's lonely," Clark gives his opinion. "Think about it. He can't remember his past. He lives on the streets. He's been getting by with petty theft and pickpocketing most likely. I doubt he has a friend in the world."

"I never thought of that," Andrea confesses. "But what was that about testing my speed?"

"Firstly I thought it would seem like something he might get behind and secondly, Andrea, how strong are you? How fast are you?"

"I don't know."

"I can tell you one thing. You might be stronger than you think you are."

"How's that?"

"When we met and you punched me through the wall."

"Yeah. Sorry about that," she apologises since she has never apologised for that before.

Clark easily accepts her apology. "That's fine but my point is I felt that and I'm virtually invulnerable. Your strength would have to be at least in a similar range to my own for me to feel it."

"How strong are you?" Andrea turns the question round so as to in a way get a rough approximation for herself.

"Been awhile since I measured it precisely but using my progression curve and working back to that date we met, at the time I had to have been somewhere in the 8500 – 9000 range."

"Pounds?"

"Tons. 8500 – 9000 tones and you must at least be in the 4 digits range for me to have felt your blow."

Andrea is caught off guard by that. She never imagined she was anywhere near that powerful. "I...um...wow. Really?"

Clark nods.

"Huh, I didn't even hit you as hard as I could," she remarks.

Ok, that's worrying...or intriguing. Clark isn't sure which. "Well if you are that strong Andrea it also means you must be very fast. Strength doesn't translate directly into flat-line speed because it involves how you apply that force into the ground to propel you but I would guess you could do well over a hundred, maybe 2."

"So we go test them? For what? To enamour ourselves to that little..." Andrea finishes off my uttering another Spanish curse for him.

"Yes...but for you as well. Knowing your limits can help be a better hero. Help you make better judgements about what you are and are not capable of. It's a sort of two birds with one stone scenario."

Andrea couldn't debate the logic of his argument. "Ok, fine," she agrees, reluctantly but she agrees. "Just let me change into something more appropriate," she says, meaning something better than her work clothes. She heads for her bedroom and shuts the door.

"Man, what I would give for x-ray vision, right now," Bart comments.

Clark turns his head to his left to find the young blond haired teen has returned. "Ok we seriously need to talk about respect for women."

"Hey. I have plenty of respect for the fairer sex!" Bart insists. "But come on. If you had x-ray vision..."

Clark does but doesn't mention it.

Bart carries on. "...are you telling me you wouldn't be at least tempted to sneak a peek?"

Clark's face becomes a conflict of expressions as he internally debates himself.

Bart grins at Kal's expression. "Uh huh. That's what I thought."

* * *

Later Clark, Bart and Andrea stand on a deserted country road in what, arguably, is the middle of nowhere. Perfect place to let Andrea cut loose and not been seen.

Andrea had changed into some workout clothes and Clark had carried her to this place which was far enough south it wasn't as cold as Kansas so she really didn't need a jacket...not that she really feels the cold.

Clark couldn't but take a moment or two to look Andrea over in her workout clothes, tight vest-top and the bottoms hugged her figure as well. Her physique was very different to Rogue for example. Rogue was in many ways a brawler. She worked out, hard to get a powerful looking figure. Nothing over the top but you couldn't miss that Rogue has some muscle mass on her.

Andrea was much more lean and slender...like a gymnast which she was when she was younger. It was hard to believe she was as strong as Clark knows she must be.

Bart has to say once she drops the little librarian look this was one fine looking filly. Now he was getting a little angsty though. He hated standing around and doing nothing...although this was still more fun than just waiting for that phone call from his current 'employer'...Bart is using that term loosely. "Can we get started already? Time's a wastin...and Miami is calling!" he prompts the other two to get a move on.

Andrea rolls her eyes. "I'm ready."

"Then just run as fast as you can," Clark tells her. He had chosen a nice bit of straight, flat road.

Andrea rocks back on her heels before pushing off as hard as she can into a sprint with Clark and Bart keeping time with her. For the both of them all too easily.

"Dude, how do you even know how fast she is going?" Bart asks Kal.

"I have a good sense of speed. I'd say she just past 50."

For Bart that's really kinda slow but Andrea is still accelerating quite rapidly. Hey, maybe she is more fun than she has appeared to be thus far.

Andrea has never done this since she got her power. Just pushed herself to see what she can do, what her limits are. It's really quite exhilarating. The rush, the wind in her face, the countryside flying by.

"Are we past a hundred yet?" Bart wants to know.

"I would say yeah," Clark judges...and Andrea is still speeding up.

Andrea just keeps pushing and pushing and she almost feels like...she almost wishes she could push off the ground and fly. Oh heck why not?

Andrea makes a leap and comes down, continues running, makes another longer leap and lands, still running before she puts all her effort into it and jumps a long, long way into the air, really not noticing where she is headed. In fact her eyes are closed as she just imagines herself soaring.

It comes to an end when she finds herself caught by a pair of arms. Andrea opens her eyes to find herself staring into Clark's face, his own lips smiling widely as he cradles her in his arms.

Andrea thinks she is grinning like a loon. "That was amazing," she says a little breathless by the sheer exhilaration of it. Her heart is racing.

"Yeah. It is," Clark can only agree.

"How fast was I going?" she asks excitedly, like a little kid almost.

"Roughly I would say you were going at a couple of hundred before you decided to see if you could fly," he teases her.

"Not bad but still in the slow lane to me," Bart not so helpfully adds right now.

Clark coughs. "Cough, encouragement, cough."

Bart cottons on. "Oh. Right. You were awesome!" he declares over the top with a double thumbs-up.

Andrea fixes him a look how she isn't buying it.

"So I gotta ask, are you two sure you're not a couple?"

"No, we're not a couple," Andrea tells him. There's a small tinge of regret as she says that.

"Really?" Bart asks sceptically. He folds his arms across his chest and gives her a wry smile. "That would be why you are still in his arms and look like you have no intention of leaving?"

Both Clark and Andrea blush slightly. Neither had really given it any thought. It didn't seem an unnatural thing to do, to be in his arms.

Clark lowers Andrea to the ground, his fingers brushing over her bare skin on her lower back making her skin goosepimple slightly. She has to bite her lip to stop a moan escaping.

Bart snorts and shakes his head. God those two. He has one word. GAR. Get A Room. "So can we still hit Miami...or at least somewhere in Florida before the sun sets?"

Andrea quietly groans. What is his obsession with Florida? She really doesn't get this kid. She is just putting her trust in Clark that he's right in trying to befriend Bart.

"Lets give Andrea another go and then we'll head to Florida. How about that?" Clark proposes.

Bart shrugs. "Alright. Catch me if you can Señorita!" he dares her.

"Arh!" Andrea screams a little. "I told you not to call me that!" she reminds Bart before she chases after him.

Clark can't help but laugh. The picture was pretty funny. He blurs off after them on the slim possibility Andrea gets her hands on Bart and he has to step in.

* * *

**Lexcorp Tower...**

"Tell me what you know, Mr Anderson," Lex asks of his head of security as he sits behind his desk with the man in the paramilitary-esque uniform standing the other side.

Anderson sucks it up. It was his office that was broken into and he is taking the heat. "The kid we only know rumours about. The woman has a greater reputation down in Suicide Slums. Been called the Angel of Vengeance. Lately she gets mentioned by the name Nightwing. Some sort of vigilante," he reports on the investigation so far.

"And as for who arranged to steal my confidential data?" Lex queries.

"No firm leads but after a few financial motivations it seems the kid has been seen around fencing a few misbegotten items."

"To whom?"

"Hanison."

"Hanison," Lex chews over that name. He knows that name. His father had links. His father had a lot of links but Lex is thinking how those links could now be used against him by his competitors. In other words Hanison's knowledge of Lex's father's dealing are a vulnerability he never considered before. An oversight...but possibly useful. It makes it possible Hanison is the middle man in this and that he can lead Lex to whomever it is that is behind this. "Find Hanison. Have a watch put on him. I want this kid who can move like lightning so we'll wait until he shows up and get them both together," he orders.

"Yes, Mr Luthor," Anderson says before he turns and departs.

Lex rises from his chair and goes to look out his window. One thing that bothers him is he still doesn't know what it was the kid took and why Anderson's office. The most valuable data wasn't in there. Lex's security details were but he has already changed them. It's possible Anderson was keeping data he shouldn't but Lex didn't believe so.

No. It doesn't make sense. Lex is missing something. That's why he needs Hanison. To get answers. The kid...well Lex needs him for other reasons. Reasons that are his own and no-one else's.

* * *

Night has fallen on Metropolis by the time Clark, Bart and Andrea get back from Florida. They enter her apartment and Bart is complaining passionately about something. "Dudette, I can't believe you actually decked that guy," he says about this man on the beach who was hitting on Andrea.

"He was too grabby," Andrea justifies her actions. His hands were going places they shouldn't of. Long story short, he pinched her cheek...and not the one on her face.

"Yeah but he was totally into you," Bart argues.

Andrea folds her arms across her chest. Ok, so he wasn't bad looking but really not her type.

Bart looks to the person he still only knows as Kal. "And what about you, dude. I can't believe you didn't get that girl in the black bikini's phone number," he says with a shake of his head. "She was totally checking you out."

"No, she wasn't," Clark insists.

"Actually she was," Andrea has to confirm with much unhappiness about it. She almost decked that girl too.

"See," Bart says pointing at Andrea. "That girl was looking at ya like a sno-cone she would have loved to wrap her tongue around."

Clark is decidedly uncomfortable here. He has never been great around girls...hence the shocking number of exes he has. "Look, Bart. I just can't go up to a girl and ask for her phone number."

"Yeah, well lucky for you, I can," Bart says as he fishes out a piece of paper. "She says to call her next time you're in Florida," he passes on the message as he holds out the paper in Kal's direction.

Andrea grabs it and rips it to shreds.

"Whoa. Overreaction, much!"

Yeah, Clark has to say that seemed a little over the top.

Andrea doesn't defend herself. She doesn't feel she has to. She's just protecting Clark from little trollops.

"Bart, I can't just run down to Florida whenever I feel like it," Clark points out, laying down another reason he can't just call that girl.

"Why not? Too much fun? No-one has ever died from it," Bart argues, almost irritated at how stuck in the mud Kal is being.

"No," Andrea answers for Clark. "We both have responsibilities in our lives."

Bart makes a face. "Responsibilities, sure," he mocks the concept.

"Bart, there is a time for fun but I've learned, the hard way, that it has to kept in balance," Clark tries to argue.

"You know what I'm starving. I'm going to get us some dinner," Bart says, instead of answering Clark's point directly and with that he's gone.

"How's he going to pay for it?" Andrea asks.

Clark sighs. "He took your wallet again," he spotted Bart doing that.

"Oh that little... Remind me why you didn't let me kill him again?"

"He's not that bad," Clark defends Bart. A little scattered-brained but definitely not bad.

"I beg to differ. Clark, he refuses to grow up," Andrea criticises and feels she is completely justified in doing so. For proof see the way Bart avoids dealing with what she and Clark are trying to make him see about responsibilities and rights and wrongs.

"We all have our ways of dealing with things. You hide it behind a mask. I tend to make bad jokes. Bart acts like he does."

There goes Clark being all logical again.

"Just give him time and a little leeway," he requests.

"Only because you're asking me."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I'm still tempted to suffocate him in his sleep."

Clark chuckles. She's joking. "Why did you deck you that guy?" he asks, going back to that. Clark hadn't seen what transpired, only the aftermath of the guy face down on the sand.

"He grabbed my butt."

"Really? Well I must admit I can see the temptation," he teases.

Andrea fixes him a severe look.

"That's a compliment," he assures her and it really is. "And so is the fact you didn't break his jaw."

"Well the temptation was there...and so it is around you."

"To hit me?"

"Nope," Andrea smirks, her eyes deliberately falling to Clark's rear.

"Oh hey! Eyes on the face!"

"But the lower view is so much better."

"I liked it better when you were grumpy and trying to hit me," Clark grumbles falsely.

"I've moved to hitting on you."

"Oh look. A reporter who is clever with words. What are the odds?"

"About the same as me killing Bart."

"That high, huh?"

"I'm a multi-talented person."

"One day you'll have to demonstrate some of your_ talents_ for me," Clark says, the suggestiveness prominent in his tone.

Andrea's lips curve up. "Maybe...if you're lucky," she tells him, clearly openly flirting with him.

"Oh good lord get a room already!" Bart declares upon his return.

Clark and Andrea fix him near identical looks of annoyance.

Bart rolls his eyes. Seriously. Those two. Only a total idiot couldn't see how hot they are for each other.

* * *

The next morning, Sunday morning, Clark was sitting in a chair while Bart was spread out on Andrea's couch, snoring away like a foghorn. He was still determined to be Bart's friend and to hope to try and get Bart to be more honest about who hired him to steal from Lex.

It's more for Bart's safety than anything. Clark knows Lex and therefore, knows Lex doesn't just accept people stealing from him. Lex is no doubt looking for Bart. The best Clark can do is deflect Lex onto Bart's employer if he can find out who it is.

Well anyway befriending Bart had involved a midnight rerun of Speed which is why Bart is conked out as he is. Even Andrea joined them. Turns out she has a secret love of action movies...or maybe it's just Keanu Reeves movies. Clark isn't sure which.

Clark's eyes shift to Andrea's bedroom door as it opens and she walks out. Clark wonders if she has any idea how ridiculously sexy and alluring she looks with bed hair. He really needs to find a way to dampen down his libido.

"Morning," he greets her in a soft voice before placing his finger to his lips. "Shh, he's still asleep," he says, pointing at Bart.

Andrea nods. Her tolerance of Bart was...she guesses he wasn't so bad. Like an annoying little brother or something. She walks softly over to where Clark is sitting and kneels down beside the chair. Her eyes spot what is in Clark's lap. "Is that all my stuff to do with Acrata?" she asks him.

"Yeah. I've been ordering it for you. Simplifying who owns what, where any monies are," he explains.

Andrea is so touched by his kindness. "You didn't need to do that."

"Now what sort of hero would I be if I didn't help my friend out, hmm?"

Andrea leans in and kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you," she says, her voice close to trembling with emotion.

Clark smiles adorably in return, his cheek tingling from the feel of her lips on his skin.

"You want to use the shower first?" she asks him.

"Yeah. I suppose I better. I haven't had one since Friday," he realises. He gets to his feet and heads for the bathroom.

Andrea's eyes follow him until the door shuts. Friday? Damn. He smells incredible for a guy who hasn't showered in 2 days. In fact he had just looked incredible sitting there, his hair mussed up, his clothes a little dishevelled. He looked devilishly sexy. Oh boy. She really needs a way to dampen down her libido.

"Hey señorita, you want me to show you my magic trick," Bart murmurs in his sleep.

Andrea rolls her eyes. She can guess what he is dreaming about. Where's a bucket of water to throw over him when you need one?

* * *

Later that morning Andrea is trying to get some work done on a story on her computer. Clark has been immensely helpful. They approach it from different angles, definitely but Clark's views have merit and he respects her views as well. They should collaborate more often she muses to herself.

Andrea would be much further ahead on her story if it wasn't for a certain blond haired boy who gets bored far too easily.

"Come on," Bart pleads. "This is so boring!" he complains. "Lets do something!"

Andrea checks the time. "Well in fact I will be leaving for church shortly," she informs him. She hadn't been for a long time after her mother died but shortly after meeting Clark and Claire, after finally saying goodbye to her mother, she made the choice to go back. It's a choice she doesn't regret.

"Church, really?" Bart queries that. "Dudette, why?"

"Because I'm Catholic."

"And I totally respect all that. Pope, funny hats, sounds like a rip-roaring time but I'm not good at sitting still."

"Really? Never noticed," Andrea drawls sarcastically.

Clark saves the day. "Ok. Bart and I will find something to do while you're at church," he volunteers.

"Now we're talking!" Bart cheers, fully behind that idea.

* * *

After church Andrea does something else she has started a habit of. Visiting her mother's grave. She lays down a few flowers. "Hello mom," she speaks. "Trying few days...and I'm trying, mom. I'm really trying to move on with my life. Trying to do what I hope you think would be right. I mean I've managed to restrain the urge to murder Bart several times over," she jokes.

Andrea looks up into the cloudy sky for a moment. "That's probably not the best thing to joke about considering," she says, considering her mother was murdered.

"It's hard without you but I'm working towards getting Acrata up and running again for you. Clark helped. Clark's been a big help...but you know that. I mean I think I must prattle on about him endlessly to you. I think...I think I might like him," she finds herself confessing the thought that has been burning at her yet she she feels it a struggle to let herself truly accept that and where it might lead. "Should I? Can I? You'd want me to find someone right? But do I have the right to be happy when you're..._here_?" she asks her mother.

Andrea rubs her head, trying to think. She can't stand here and deny she has a physical attraction to Clark. She could never ever lie to her mother. That hasn't changed. She is just conflicted. Speaking to Clark, spending time with him, the pain isn't so intense, he makes her feel...happy and she isn't sure she has the right to be.

Andrea lets out a long breath. She may have made a few steps forward but there is still a lot of pain. She needs more time she decides. For now Clark will have to remain only her friend. She can't...risk getting too close and then losing someone else. She doesn't think she could survive that right now.

* * *

Andrea returns to her apartment to find Clark trying to make lunch while equally trying to keep Bart from pinching it.

"Come on, dude, I'm starving," Bart pleads, trying to put on the sad cow eyed look.

Clark slaps Bart's grasping hand away. Clark being one of the very few people quick enough to actually manage to hit Bart. "No. When it's done," he tells Bart off, sounding very like his own mother when she is telling Clark off.

Bart rubs his hand and pouts.

Andrea can't help a tiny smile. "You two have fun?" she asks.

Clark and Bart turn their heads. Clark smiles at seeing her. "Yeah, we did," Clark says.

"Darn right we did," Bart echoes louder. He then snaps his fingers. "Ooh I got you two something," he announces as he suddenly remembers. He blurs and when he stops Clark and Andrea find the latest model touch-screen phone deposited in their hands. "It's just a little thank you for you guys letting me hang out. I've never done that with anyone like me before," he says, with some real emotion behind it, some real longing to not be so alone.

"Where did you get these?" Clark asks, puzzled. "When did you get them?" he also asks because they never went shopping except for some food. Bart...Clark turns his back for a second and who knows where he goes.

Bart shrugs. "I got it for you guys. Does it matter where I got them?"

"It does if you stole them," Andrea points out and as she looks at the expression on his face she can deduce it. "You did, didn't you. You stole them."

"Bart, you haven't been listening to anything we have said have you," Clark says, annoyed at how it hasn't sunk in what he and Andrea have been trying to make Bart see for over a day about what is right and what is wrong.

"You can't go around stealing whatever you want," Andrea tells him, switching into a carbon copy of her mother's lecturing tone.

"Why not?" Bart asks, truly not understanding.

"Because there are laws," Clark states.

"For normal people," Bart argues. "They don't apply to us."

"You're wrong," Andrea states. "They apply more because of what we can do." And Andrea came dangerously close to killing someone before she learned that lesson.

Clark nods in agreement with her. He is also worried that Bart's words could just as easily flown from Magneto's lips.

Bart looks at them exasperated. "What is the point of our powers if we can't use them to get a leg up in the world?"

"Our powers are suppose to be used to help people, not hurt them," Clark argues back. It's not that using his powers is wrong. It's the purpose to which they are used.

"Who did I hurt?" Bart asks the other two. "The store I swiped these from. They're insured."

"That doesn't make it right!" Andrea comes close to snapping at him.

Bart rolls his eyes. "Whatever. I'm not sticking around for another lecture," he complains at the two of them, fed-up of hearing them. He starts to walk away.

"Running away doesn't solve your problems, Bart," Clark tries to stop him. "Like I said, I've tried that already."

Bart stops and fixes Kal an intense glare. "Look, I'm not running away, Kal. I'm running towards something. I'm gonna have everything that I've ever dreamed of one way or another," he swears.

Ok it worries Clark the way Bart said that and about what Bart intends to do. "Bart..."

Bart doesn't let him finish. "I thought you two were like me but you're not. We're nothing alike. Stay out of my way and we won't have a problem."

With that Bart blurs off but Clark can't let him leave and gives chase and like before Bart leads them towards the docks on the lake. This time, when Bart tries to take off across the water, Clark doesn't stop...only he wishes he had when he can't replicate Bart's trick and sinks like a stone. His head bobs back above the surface. Bart's gone.

Clark spits out some water. He can see it's going to be one of _those _days.

* * *

_Author's Note: In the episode Bart says he left home because his parents couldn't cope with him. In the Season 11 comics this has been retconned to Bart can't remember his life before he was struck by the energy so make of that what you will. You can just go with he lied in the episode which is perfectly in keeping with his character at that time. __It occurred to me that if Clark said he actually felt Andrea's punch then her strength would have to be in the same ballpark as Clark as being in 4 digits. And oh dear, Lex is closing in just as Bart decides to run off. Can't be good. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews and thanks to all those who voted in my poll which is now closed. Next up; can Clark and Andrea catch up with Bart before Lex does?_


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Bart keeps running, not caring what direction he goes in. Those two, he can't believe what a pair of stiffs they are. What he does...it isn't harming anyone. He's just trying to use his gifts to get a little ahead in the world. That's all.

And that nagging little voice at the back of his head that is saying they're correct can just shut the hell up.

Bart skids to a halt when his phone rings. The one Hanison gave him. He pulls it out of his pocket and answers it. "Hello?"

"It's Hanison," the voice on the other end speaks. "We have that other job for you tonight."

Bart looks back at where he came from, debating with himself but only for a moment. "Where do you want to meet?"

"Same place as before. Just as the sun sets," Hanison instructs Bart.

"I'll be there," he promises.

* * *

Back at Andrea's apartment Clark is drying his hair off with a towel.

Andrea is not happy. "That little twit. After all we have done to try and be nice," she grumbles.

Clark could get her reaction. However, "We still need to find him."

"Why?"

"Two reasons. One; why I came here in the first place. Making sure your identity is protected. That's my number one priority," he promises.

Andrea is touched he puts her first. "And two?" she queries.

"Bart stole from Lex Luthor. I know Lex. We use to be friends. I know him well enough to know he doesn't just take it lying down when people steal from him. As fast as Bart is sooner or later Lex will catch him unless I get Bart somewhere he can be protected."

"Clark," Andrea says softly. "Can I point out Bart broke the law. Lex has every right to pursue him."

"I know," Clark concedes, not arguing her point. "Once upon a time I would be sure Lex would do the right thing and just let the police handle it. These days...I'm not so sure," he tries to get across his caution about how it will end if Lex does manage to catch Bart.

Andrea has no reason to doubt Clark. She takes a breath and a minute to think. How do they track Bart down? How do they...

She cocks her head as he eyes fall upon her computer. Something occurs to her. Scattered pieces of information coalesce together inside her brain. "You said Bart had been pickpocketing, right?"

"Yeah," Clark says, not sure where this is going.

"I was working on a story about an upsurge in pickpocketing. In fact it was why I was in that part of Metropolis that night when I ran into Bart."

Clark can see what she is thinking. "Bart's been doing it."

"That's what I'm thinking."

"Go on," Clark encourages her, wishing to see where this leads.

"He has to sell what he steals to get money."

"To a fence," Clark knows. A fence; someone who deals in stolen goods.

"Find the fence and we might find Bart. It's possible we might find out who hired him to steal from Lexcorp."

"Wow, you are multi-talented," Clark praises her because that's brilliant thinking.

"Was there any doubt?" she mock scoffs.

"None whatsoever. You know where to look?"

"I know who to ask to point us in the right direction. Let me get changed and then we'll get going," she tells him as she heads for her bedroom to get her costume.

* * *

As the sun set Bart arrived as he promised, still trying to ignore that prickling sensation at the back of his mind that was so not guilt. He has nothing to be guilty about.

Bart steps into the warehouse and is once again directed to sit in the chair in front of the projection screen. "So I'm here. What do ya want me to steal?"

The distorted voice of Bart's mysterious employer responds. "I need you to go to Smallville. The mansion Lex Luthor lives in and access his personal files. Like before just plug the memory stick in and the inbuilt program will do the rest."

"You got a personal vendetta against Lexie?" Bart wonders.

"Not at all. He just has information I require. Now can you do this or do I find someone else?"

"No. I can do it," Bart insists.

"It's Lex personal computer in his study. You will get paid upon delivery," the voice tells him. "Mr Hanison," the voice directs the middle man in this. Hanison follows what is an instruction and throws the kid the memory stick and with that Bart is gone in a flash.

Near the warehouse is parked an unremarkable car. Within is Lex's head of security Anderson who had managed to track down Hanison and had had the man under surveillance for this very moment. He contacts his employer. "Mr Luthor. The thief just left here. Something is up," he reports.

"Most likely away to steal something else from me. Let him. Move the men into position and we shall await his return and catch him with the data in hand. We will catch them all. I'll be there shortly to personally oversee this," Lex tells Anderson.

"Yes, Mr Luthor," Anderson replies obediently before discreetly getting his men to position. Hanison and his men and this freak, none of them were escaping this. Anderson's job probably depended on it.

* * *

Despite Andrea's insistence that she knew who to ask it was still slow going. One person directed them to another person directed them to another person...you get the idea.

It wasn't that Andrea didn't know what she was doing. She did. They were down in Suicide Slums, where she lives and she certainly knew the type of person to ask. It seemed they all just wanted to be difficult about it.

Clark could see Andrea was getting fed-up of this little merry-go-round. He couldn't blame her. So was he.

Their latest 'informant' was finding out just how bad a mood Andrea was in now as she had him roughly, painfully thrown up against the wall down this alley, his feet clearly off the ground and Andrea pinning him there with one hand by his jacket. "Superfast kid, selling stuff. I want to know to who, now!" she demands, her voice deep, gravelly and intimidating.

The man pointless struggles against her grip. "Look lady. I don't know!" he tries to plead.

"He's lying," Superman can report with his senses and in a wrong way that's good. This is the first person who Clark can tell was outright lying about not knowing something.

Andrea...or Nightwing as she is trying to get herself known as, makes a low growl of frustration, draws her free hand back and puts her fist through the wall, mere millimetres from the man's head. "The next one goes through your head," she promises as she draws her fist back again. "You have till 3. 1...2...3!" she snaps and her fist goes straight for the man's head.

"Alright! Stop!" he screams.

Nightwing's fist stops just as it touches his nose.

"Ok. Ok," the man relents. "I've seen that kid. He's working for Hanison."

Nightwing lifts the man up higher, giving him an intense glare. "Where?" she demands to know.

The man gives her the location.

"Next time I suggest you don't make this so difficult," Nightwing warns the man. "And I want you to do me a favour."

"What?"

"Tell all your friends about me. Tell them that this city is under the protection of Nightwing. Tell them that they break the law I will come visiting and then I will break them," she promises darkly. "You got that?" she asks, with as menacing and intimidating a tone as possible.

The man nods.

"Good. "Now get out of my sight!" she orders as she literally throws the man away. He gets to his feet and scurries off.

"Was that necessary?" Clark asks her about that show.

"Don't start with me," she warns him off as she leaps off the ground onto the roof of the building.

Clark leaps up after her. "But was it?" he asks, still pursuing this line.

"Was it necessary for you to buy that one guy a coffee simply because you felt I went too far."

"You dropped him off the roof."

"And you caught him long before he hit the ground."

"You made him mess up his underwear...which believe you me does not smell nice at all when you have a sense of smell as sensitive as mine."

"Thanks for the visual," she says sarcastically as she starts to walk away.

Clark walks with her. "Andrea," he says softly.

"They have to learn Clark. Learn to fear that if they break the law I will be there."

"Look I get what you're attempting. I do but I can't agree. You see at the X-Men the goal is to set an example that mutants and humans can live in peace and that's the philosophy I take. You have to set an example. You have to inspire people to be better, not induce fear in them to be less bad."

"I think this might be one area we have to agree to disagree Clark," Andrea says because from her experience you can try all you want to set examples and people still murder your mother in front of your eyes.

"Only because we need to be finding Bart so urgently I'll go with that for now but don't expect this to be the end of the discussion."

Andrea's lips curve up into a reluctant smile. "I would be disappointed in you if it was."

Clark can't help but smile back at that remark as the two heroes break into a run.

* * *

It was disappointingly easy, Bart has to say. He had managed to get in, find the relevant computer and get out without a sweat. It would have been much more fun if Kal and Andrea...no. Why is he thinking of them?

They're just weight he doesn't need.

He arrives back at the warehouse. "Lucy! I'm home!" he announces his return.

Hanison check his watch. "That was quick."

"I am the Fastest Man on Earth."

Hanison snaps his fingers and points at the now familiar chair in front of the screen. "Sit," he orders.

Bart is getting so tired of being ordered about. Once he has his money he thinks he might blow this popsicle stand. Too much baggage slowing him down.

"Congratulations on a job well done," the heavily distorted voice praises Bart.

"Whatever," Bart says somewhat disrespectfully. "Can I get my money now?"

"You sound anxious to leave."

"Hey the money may be good but I never stay in one place overly long."

"Are you certain about this? I can think of other jobs for you."

"Yeah. I'm certain," Bart decides. Time for him to start over somewhere else.

What Bart doesn't realise is the crosshairs that are currently trained on him. "Mr Luthor I have the shot," the hidden marksman reports in a whisper.

"Take it. All units move in," Lex orders.

The marksman takes the shot hitting Bart dead-on.

Bart reaches up for where he was stung and pulls out a dart. He shakes his head as he feels incredibly drowsy. A 2nd and 3rd dart join in as Lex's men storm the warehouse and Bart falls to the ground, the sound of gunfire ringing in his ears being the last sound before he falls unconscious.

Once Lex's men have secured the warehouse Lex himself walks in and looks around at the few of the fallen of Hanison's men and the others who are on their knees, hands behind their heads. Lex marches up to Hanison who is one on his knees. "Mr Hanison. Now care to tell me where my data is and who hired you to steal it?"

Hanison snorts. "Luthor there is not a thing in the world you can do that is scarier than what _he _would do to me," he refuses to say anything, glaring defiantly up at the bald man.

"You could always just ask him directly," the distorted voice speaks.

Lex's brow furrows. He walks over to the projection screen and looks around. He spots the small cameras on the nearby pillars. "You're watching this."

"I am indeed. I must admit I never expected you to manage to track this place down."

"One should never underestimate me."

"Oh I never did..." the distortion fades away and the man speaks in his normal and all too familiar, for Lex, voice, "...son."

Lex's face pales. "Dad?"

"Were you expecting someone else?"

Lex gathers himself. "Where are you dad? What is this about?"

"Tsk, tsk, Lex. One never reveals his plans beforehand. Surely I taught you that," Lionel mildly rebukes his son.

"You're reduced to stealing from me?" Lex pours scorn on his father.

"You stole it from me first. I am simply reclaiming what is mine," Lionel retorts since this is data that was formerly Luthorcorp's, ie his. "And speaking of that. I'll be taking that data now," Lionel demands, his voice deadly serious.

"How are you planning to accomplish that?" Lex asks since as far as he sees he's in control here.

"Oh Lex, surely you should know I always have a back up."

Before Lex can deduce what that means several cylindrical canisters are thrown in through the windows, releasing a white gas.

Lex gets one whiff of it. "Tear gas!" he cries as he tries to cover his face before the gas can really take effect.

Stun grenades follow as more heavily armed men, in gas masks, storm in. Lionel's men led by the 3 personally hired mercenaries who helped him escape SHIELD; Cole, Reese and Macon.

What follows next is all rather chaotic with the smoke and gas and gunfire but when it is over Lex finds himself the one on his knees with his men either dead, wounded or captured.

"Mr Hanison," Lionel's voice echoes around the building.

Hanison is helped to his feet and dusts himself down. "Yes, Mr Luthor."

"The data stick. Search the boy and find it, please," Lionel requests.

Hanison walks over to the lying figure of Bart, bends down and frisks the boy down and finds the data stick. "I have it, Mr Luthor," he reports back to his boss.

"Good work," Lionel praises him.

Lex silently fumes. Whatever his father is after it can't be good.

"Now, son, what do we do with you?"

"Is this the part where you make the offer for me to rejoin you?" Lex says in a sneering tone.

"No. I made that offer, when I was in my most desperate position and you refused. The time where the Luthors would stand side by side has passed. You made that choice."

Lex is puzzled. His father doesn't really sound angry. More just a bland statement of fact.

"I should thank you really. It forced me to do some serious thinking. I have reached a state of enlightenment I am saddened you will never understand."

"And an enlightened state involves all of this?" Lex demands to know, accusatory.

"A better world always requires sacrifice...and that better world is coming, son. I promise you. If you're lucky you might live to see it."

Lex suspected his father had lost it and now he can see he was right.

"Mr Hanison, wrap this up and bring me my data," Lionel orders.

Up above, looking down through a transparent skylight are Superman and Nightwing, listening in on this scene.

Nightwing looks to Superman and can see his hands clenched tightly into fists, his nails digging into his palms. Andrea reaches out and touches his arm and can feel the muscles taught, wound for action. "Hey, you alright?"

"Lionel," Superman spits the words out. "We can't let him get that data stick. Whatever he wants it for can't be good."

Nightwing eyes Hanison, trying to work out how to get to him and take him down. She also works out where all the men are stationed. Perfectly to avoid being taken by surprise. "You have a plan?"

"Don't have time for the subtle approach," he says because he can see they're ready to go any second. They don't have time to sneak around and take them out discreetly one by one.

"Then we drop in," Nightwing guesses. She means literally drop in.

"I'll get Bart," Superman decides.

Nightwing locks her fingers together and cracks her knuckles. "Ready when you are."

Superman looks at her intensely. "Be careful," he requests because he isn't sure how durable she actually is. For all he know bullets may be able to hurt her.

"This ain't my first rodeo kid," she says with false bravado.

Superman chuckles. "On 3?"

Nightwing nods. "1..." she starts it off.

"2..." Superman continues it.

"3!" they both say together as the jump down through the skylight.

Superman makes sure to land near Bart. He grabs the first man within his reach and throws him into the next one. That's when the bullets start flying...as pointless as that is against him. He stands over Bart to keep him safe and uses his heat vision to systematically destroy their weapons. All those hours practising in the Danger Room had made him pinpoint accurate these days. He could destroy their weapons and leave the people holding them unscathed...relatively speaking. A few mild burns. Nothing permanent. When a group of them try to charge him he unleashes his superbreath, blowing them off their feet.

Superman glances out of the corner of his eye at Nightwing as she gracefully works her way through the armed men. You can actually see the gymnast at work. Her attacks are full of grace and poise with flips and kicks. Still her fighting technique could use some improvement. He knows she knows the basics, having fought her himself. She compensates by being faster and stronger.

Another thing Superman notices is that Lex has used his and Nightwing's distraction to attack Hanison and the two men are now scuffling with each other.

Lex manages to partially connect with a right fist to Hanison's face. Hanison throws a punch back but Lex catches it and uses the man's momentum to throw him to the ground. He advances on him but Hanison has landed near the chair that had been in front of the projection screen. He kicks at it, sending it tumbling right into Lex's path, tripping the bald man up.

Hanison is to his feet quickly and grabs the chair and uses it to smash Lex in the face. With the younger Luthor down and seeing the two heroes taking down his men he decides to make a break for it.

Despite the fact he has been jumped by two men who were now on his back Superman still manages to notice Hanison making a break. "Nightwing! He's running!" he yells and manages to point.

Nightwing smashes her fist into one man's chest, sending him flying before she snaps her head round and sees the fleeing man. She mentally growls and makes a move to chase after him only for someone to jump her..and where the hell are his hands going?! It feels like he is trying to get them down her top and feel her up. She throws her elbows back into his sides, before managing to flip him over her head. He lands and Nightwing gives him a swift kick to his head, knocking him out before she chases after Hanison. What she doesn't notice is that he has ripped her locket off from around her neck and it is still in his hand.

Nightwing has to say Hanison is a surprisingly swift man. He's already out the exit. She decides to take a short-cut and ploughs her way through the warehouse wall. She looks around and can't see him.

Dammit!

Where could he have gone? He can't be far.

Nightwing takes a few careful steps. She doesn't know if he's armed and she has never put it to the test whether she can survive being shot. Better not to chance it. She steps past the end of the warehouse when an engine revs up and tyres screech. She spins to her left just as the car's headlights turn on full beam blinding her. The car side-swipes her with enough force to knock her off her feet but she isn't too hurt.

Nightwing blinks under her mask and manages to see what direction the car is heading. She can catch it. Suicide Slums is her home. She knows the layout of the roads. She knows what route he has to take and where she can cut him off. She scrambles to her feet and runs as fast as she can. Good thing Clark managed to talk her into practising her speed.

She makes a flying leap, lands on the roof of another warehouse and keeps going without missing a step and so she carries on from roof to roof until makes one final leap onto the rooftop of the first apartment block near this warehouse district. She moves over to the ledge resting a foot on it as she looks down the street. A car is barrelling toward her at high speed.

There he is.

She has to time this just right.

Now!

And Nightwing leaps into the sky.

Hanison could definitely say this night could have gone better but he has the data. As long as he has it he can bargain his way to remain in Lionel's good graces. At least he is away from the freaks.

Hanison is just about to relax and believe he has managed to get away when the whole car jumps and part of the roof bends inward. Before he can react a fist in black fingerless gloves punches its way through the metal and tries to grab him. It gets a hold of his jacket as Hanison grabs the gun he keeps in here from the glove compartment. He points it up and fires off several rounds.

He manages to catch a glimpse of a figure in a long black coat leap off. However she has distracted him enough to not see he has veered off the road and straight into a streetlamp.

Hanison slams the breaks and manages to slow down enough to avoid fatal injury. He still slams his head and cuts it open. He gets out of the car in somewhat of a daze and staggers away down an alley.

He hears a noise behind him, spins round and there is his pursuer. He fires a shot off at her and she disappears from view.

Hanison is now extremely on edge. He makes a few steps forward. Where is the bitch?

The sound of a coat flapping from above him!

He looks up as the figure leaps across the narrow alley from one rooftop to the next. He fires and misses.

Hanison breathes hard.

Something strikes him on the temple, an old tin can. Followed by another coming from the end of the alley which is in total darkness. He fires shots into the shadows and advances forward. When he gets there, nothing.

Footsteps moving. Behind him!

He spins round.

Nothing.

His nerves are officially shot. "Where the hell are you?!" he screams.

"Here," a voice whispers right into his ear.

Hanison yelps like a girl as he spins round. Nightwing grabs the arm with the gun and squeezes just ever so slightly. More than enough to make him drop the gun. She then slams her head forward into his, knocking him out. Hey it may not be graceful or clever but it is effective.

Nightwing then searches him and smiles when she finds the data stick. She did it. She must admit having doubts about herself after Bart stole her wallet but she feels more assured of herself after accomplishing this. Nightwing pockets the data stick before she picks Hanison up and throws him over her shoulder. She then starts to make her way back to the warehouse and Superman. She hopes Clark's alright.

* * *

Just after Nightwing left Superman's problems increased in the sense he got jumped by like half a dozen more people. This is getting irritating. "Guys, please. I know I'm kinda famous but this is a little excessive to fight over me to get an autograph isn't it?"

Superman starts to spin on the spot faster and faster and the men get thrown clear one by one.

Lionel's 3 mercenaries, Macon, Cole and Reese know when it's time to bail and it's time to bail. The 3 make their get away while what's left of their men keep Superman busy.

Superman subdues the last of the men. That means he is more able to leave Bart momentarily to tie them up before checking one by one the men who have fallen and determining who is still alive and who is...dead. It always brings an unsettling feeling to the pit of his stomach when he fails to save people.

Superman makes the phone call to the emergency services while he uses the basic first aid he knows(all the students at the Institute are taught first aid) to do what he can.

It is the middle of that that his hearing picks up Bart's groans as he comes around. "What happened?" the young teen asks groggily.

"This. This is the consequences of your actions," Superman bluntly tells him while he does his best to stop the bleeding of one man. "Still don't think what you do doesn't hurt anyone?!" he snaps, a little more angrily than he means to.

Bart looks around at the fallen men. "Dude, I didn't mean..."

"Save it!" Superman cuts him off. "Save the lame excuses. 4 of these men are dead and another 4 might not see tomorrow."

"I'm sorry," Bart says and even to him it sounds pathetically inadequate.

Superman take one brief moment away to face up to Bart. He is struggling not to lose his temper and yell. "You think sorry cuts it this time?" he asks, his tone laced with steel. "You have to face up to your responsibilities this time."

Bart backs up and looks around him. He spots something lying on the floor that can help him get out of here. "I'm sorry," he repeats. "But this doesn't change anything."

In an instant Bart snatches up Andrea's stolen locket and snaps it open.

Superman instantly cries out in pain and falls to the ground.

Bart places the locket down on his chest. "I'm sorry," he says for the 3rd occasion in a short span of time. "I promise. I'll just go. You and her will never see me again."

"No," Superman calls out as Bart makes his first step to leave. "You don't understand. This will kill me. You're not a murderer! That's not who you are!"

Bart spins round. "You don't know who I am!" he exclaims his hands gesturing around wildly. "Look around you!"

"Yes, I do. There's good inside you. Otherwise you wouldn't have saved Nightwing that night up in the tower. You have to stop running, or in the end you'll end up alone and you don't want that. I know you don't. I know because deep down, we're the same."

"I wish that was true," Bart says, truly wishing it was.

"It can be if you choose it to be," Superman says with a groan and a grimace.

Bart takes one moment to think it over before he zips over and closes the locket. He is then gone in a flash. Superman rolls over to his front and starts to push himself up, the kryptonite poisoning having weakened him. He then feels a few more gusts of wind. He looks up and sees that the most critically injured are gone.

Bart.

And Superman has a feeling...hopes he knows what Bart has done with them. Hopefully it involved a big building where doctors and nurses work.

Superman gets to his feet, a little unsteadily, pocketing Andrea's locket as he does so he can return it to her.

"Superman!"

Superman turns his head and spots Nightwing carrying Hanison. "Nightwing. Did you get the stick?"

Nightwing fishes it out her pocket and shows it to him.

Well at least one thing has gone well.

The sound of clapping suddenly fills the warehouse. "Bravo. Bravo. Well played, Superman."

Superman's eyes turn to the projection screen. "Lionel Luthor," he says the name with no love in his voice whatsoever.

"We meet again...so to speak."

"You look different. Lost some weight, got a new haircut, spent some time with a stylist getting a makeover?"

"Most amusing," Lionel comments dryly.

Superman sobers up. "I guess I could be clichéd and demand to know where you are and what you're planning and then promise how I'll stop you."

"Ah, that tired old cycle," Lionel describes it as.

"But I won't waste my time. I do repeat my promise that I won't you let hurt anyone. Remember that promise?"

"Yes. After you attacked my facilities."

"Where you were building your private army to wage war on mutantkind...and lets not forget you unleashing Parasite."

"I was a different person."

"Oh, yes I heard you speaking to Lex. You've reached 'enlightenment'," Superman's tones pours scorn on that. "Whatever you are planning you'll fail and I will put you back in jail where you belong."

"We are all already in a prison, Superman. You just can't see it. I will tear its walls down and on that day we shall meet again and the truth will be told. Until that day I leave you to ponder this. Why are you fighting to save a world, a system that imprisons all who live in it to endure an existence of mediocrity when you should be joining me in creating a system to liberate and elevate mankind. After all isn't that why you were sent here? Think about it...Traveller."

Superman's face turns ashen. Traveller. Veritas. No, no, no. Lionel...he can't...how could he suddenly know who Clark is?

Superman stands in shock until he feels a hand gently rub his arm.

"Superman?" a soft voice queries.

Superman turns to see Nightwing who looks concerned about him. "I'm fine," he says although his voice illustrates he is far from it.

"What was that about? What did he mean? Why did he call you that? Traveller?" Andrea's journalistic curiosity asks.

"Ask me another day," Superman requests. "We, uh, we need to help these people. I called the emergency services. They'll be here shortly."

Nightwing agrees...for now. "Where's...our fast friend?" she asks, choosing her words carefully.

"Gone...but I'm not without hope," Superman replies enigmatically.

Nightwing gets the distinct feeling she's missed something.

* * *

**Later...**

Long night.

Once the emergency services arrived Superman and Nightwing left Lex to dig himself out of his own hole.

Clark had no doubt he would.

And Clark is not particularly sorry Lex is going to have one monster of a headache, not after the way he must have just charged in there, getting people killed as he did. If anything Clark is disappointed Lex wasn't cleverer than that.

Clark also supposes he should have returned Lex's data to him but if Lionel wanted it Clark has to know what is on it so it was conveniently not anywhere to be found except in Andrea's pocket. As soon as he gets home he'll ask Kitty to help decrypt it.

Right now Clark and Andrea were back at her apartment trying to let the adrenaline of the evening wear off. They were sitting together on the couch.

Andrea was leaning her head on Clark's shoulder. Just the sheer comfort of his company was nice as she tries and lets tonight's events sink in. People died tonight and unnecessarily so in her view. "Clark?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything you wish."

"How do you cope with it? All this...people died," she says, the pain clear in her voice. It brings back a rush of memories over her mother's own demise.

Clark's arm wraps around her. "I know," he says, his tone heavy with the seriousness of that. "I just try and remember that there are good things in this world. Good people. People who you saved and are living lives because of you. It helps when you have someone to share it with who understands."

Andrea's arms reach up and around him and Clark lifts his other hand and pulls her into a hug as she lets all the emotion she had been storing out.

* * *

_Author's Note: Before anyone says it I'll explain why Clark simply didn't use his suit to protect him next chapter. So it was Lionel, of course it was Lionel. Now what is it he is after? That is the question. And oh yeah, he's finally figured out Clark's the long sought for Traveller. I'll explain how later. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Bart makes the choice about where his immediate future lies._


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

**Very early the next morning...**

Clark had stayed one more night just to ensure Andrea was alright. That and to help her write a story about last night. It needed to be done before Lex tried to spin it. The trick was to write it without giving away precisely how Andrea knew all of that, i.e. that she was there because she's Nightwing. It helped that they could link it to her pieces on the increased pickpocketing since it was the same person involved. They left Bart's name out of it but couldn't completely not mention him.

By the end Andrea had fallen asleep on Clark's shoulder and he had had to put her to bed himself before he sent her story to the Editor's email. The Editor-in-Chief either takes it as is or doesn't. They had done the best with it they could.

It had been a two way thing, being in each other's company last night. People dying, people getting hurt, it's not easy for him either and it had been a nice comfort to have someone he could share it with.

Bart hadn't returned. Clark had hoped...his hope was that Bart simply needed some time alone to process things and then he would come back and they could sort this out once and for all. Clark is starting to think perhaps he might have made one more mistake in believing that.

Andrea exits her bedroom at this point, the weight of last night still playing on her but looking brighter and rested. She smiles as Clark hands her a coffee he had obviously been making for her. She takes a sip.

"Congratulations," Clark says.

"Huh?"

Clark hands her over a folded up copy of the Planet he bought. "Your first front page story," he explains what he is congratulating her about.

"T-they printed it?" Andrea says in total shock, her mouth hanging open. She was certain they wouldn't as it would bring too much heat without enough corroboration.

"I guess probably because it involved Lex. I'm sure he's got his lawyers on it as we speak to try and refute you."

"Good luck. All I said was he took the law into his own hands...which he did. We may have selectively edited bits out but it was the truth. I..." Andrea stops as her phone goes off. She picks it up and Clark patiently waits for the conversation to end.

His eyebrows rise as he silently asks what that was about.

"It was the Editor. He wants me in his office as soon as," Andrea explains.

"That's good, right? I mean he did print your story so he must have believed you. He probably just wants to clear up some details."

"Yeah. Probably."

"Maybe you'll be getting out the basement," Clark suggests.

"I, um, wow. I never really gave it much thought about moving up," Andrea admits.

Clark smiles. Her look of lost astonishment is so cute.

Andrea sips more of her coffee. She address something she forgot to last night. "So about last night. I was meaning to ask."

"Ask away," Clark permits her.

"Bart used my locket on you but I thought you said that suit..." she points at his jacket over the back of the chair, "...protected you."

"It does."

Andrea gets it. "You let him do that. It was a test to see what he would do...what sort of person he actually is."

"I put my trust in the fact he was misguided, not a bad person and I was right."

"Cunning," she remarks. Clark really was clever and funny and dedicated and kind and gentle and understanding and...why is she trying to come up with excuses not to date him again? Andrea would struggle to give you an answer right now. She watches as he bites into a blueberry muffin and makes a small face of disgust. "What?"

"Ugh, the blueberries were frozen. I only like fresh ones," he complains about it.

"You can tell the difference?"

"Yes."

Andrea drinks more of her coffee. That's a new thing she has learned about him this morning. "I suppose you need to be getting back home."

"Shortly, yes."

"Thank you," she says. "I mean you gave up my whole weekend for me."

"You say that like it's a burden or a chore. It was neither. You're my friend and you needed my help. Besides I enjoy your company."

"I enjoy yours," Andrea returns.

"As for Bart...I don't think you have to worry about him revealing your secret. That I believe."

Andrea sighs. "I'll go with I believe you rather than I believe that about him."

"That's a start," Clark says. He really must do more to work on her cynicism.

Just then there is a knock on her door. Clark's eyes turn to it and flash electric blue. His lips start to curve upward. "Answer it," he tells her.

Andrea is puzzled by his expression but goes to the door and answers it. Standing there is an unusual sight. It's Bart, looking remarkably...humble.

"Can I come in?" he asks for permission.

Andrea nearly keels over from the shock of his asking. She steps back and allows him in.

Bart rubs his arm in a gesture showing his awkwardness. "You were right."

Andrea arches an eyebrow. "About?"

"Everything?" Bart offers.

"That's a start," Andrea says dryly.

"I heard those people you dropped off at the hospital have a chance of making it," Clark mentions, dropping in something positive Bart did.

"It was the least I could do," Bart says apologetically. "I really didn't think people got hurt by what I did," he says with a little shame in his voice. More than a little shame in all honesty. "You were right...about me," he says.

Clark doesn't need to make Bart say what he was right about. That thing about being good in the kid and there was.

"How did you find me, by the way?" Bart wants to know since he couldn't figure it out.

"Andrea," Clark gives as the answer to that. "She realised that you must be using a fence to sell what you were stealing. Spent hours shaking up every snitch in Suicide Slums before one pointed us in Hanison's direction."

"I was so right. You are violent," Bart remarks.

Andrea's eyes narrow slightly. "Try saying thank you...in fact no. Your thanks can be promising not to tell anyone who I am."

"I can do that," Bart promises.

"So what you gonna do now?" Clark asks the young teen.

Bart gives a half-hearted shrug. "Not sure. Hit the road again. I think it best I don't stay around here."

"Or you could back with me to Bayville and stay at the Xavier Institute?" Clark proposes.

"That's...um...that's nice and all but I'm not a mutant," Bart tries to refuse as politely as he can.

"Well that depends how you define mutant but in the end it doesn't matter because the Professor never turns anyone away who needs help," Clark argues that one away.

Bart tries another argument against it. "I'm not really looking to be in a team."

"You don't have to be. It can simply be a roof over your head if that is all you want."

Bart looks conflicted. Since this happened to him he's been running and running and never stopping.

"Are you not tried of being alone, Bart?" Clark asks the basic question.

"Dude, I really don't know. I mean there would be rules and stuff right?"

"A few."

"I'm not good with rules."

"No shit," Andrea mutters under her breath her opinion.

"There's hot single female teenage mutants with powers you can't begin to imagine," Clark points out

"I'm in!" Bart declares loudly.

Andrea rolls her eyes. Of course _that_ would work.

Clark's face lights up into a smile. "I'll show you the way. If you could give us a minute?" he requests of Bart, eyeing Andrea.

"Gotcha," Bart understands. He zips over to Andrea, takes her hand and kisses the back of it. "Señorita, it's been a pleasure and if you decide to take a chance on the Fastest Man alive I'm most definitely available!" he offers with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Clark's expression goes a little sour. "Alright Romeo, out!" he orders as he physically throws Bart out the apartment. He shuts the door and turns to look at Andrea.

"I guess you were right about him," she has to accept, feeling she learned a little something about having faith in people.

"I could have just as easily been wrong," Clark concedes the truth. It's a choice to look at the glass half-full and to have faith in people.

"Thank you, for coming to my aid," she says with deep gratitude.

"You're very welcome. Just try and leave the IDs at home next time?" he suggests.

"I'll keep it under advisement."

"Don't give up. You made a mistake but don't give up."

"I won't," she decides.

"If you ever need my help I'll be here," Clark promises her.

"Maybe I should consider you for that permanent sidekick position," she proposes, her face full of light humour.

"I'm not a sidekick dammit," Clark jokily complains.

Andrea laughs. "You have the memory stick?" she asks before he leaves.

Clark walks over and picks up his jacket. The data stick is in his pocket. "Yep. I'll have Kitty have a look at it when I get back." He slips his jacket on and walks up close to her. "I guess this is goodbye," he says reluctantly.

"Yeah," Andrea says sadly. "By the way you can tell Romeo out there that for women, calling yourself the Fastest Man alive isn't what we're looking for in men."

Clark gets her meaning. "I'll let him know," he says, laughing lightly.

"I hope it's not a problem you suffer from," she says, her voice, her expression turning deeply sultry.

"I can be as slow as you require me to be," he replies, his voice dropping down deep.

"Good to know," Andrea replies, her own voice deep and husky. She raises her hand and traces her finger down his cheek.

Clark returns the gesture by tracing his finger over her cheek. She really was so beautiful. They lean in towards each other...

"Dude! Can we get going already!" Bart shouts from outside impatiently.

Clark groans. "I'm killing him."

Andrea laughs softly at the fact he's saying that instead of her.

Clark looks at her forlornly.

This is the 3rd time they have almost...Andrea decides to hell with it. She likes him. She wants a damn kiss so she grabs his face and pulls him in for one.

Clark's eyes widen momentarily at the forwardness before he melts into it. His mouth and hers engaging in that age-old dance...and with her strength there is a lot of force behind it. It's also very different. He can relax more, not having to worry as much that he'll lose control and hurt her. He can simply enjoy it...and there's a lot to enjoy about it. When it's over he asks, slightly out of breath, "What was that for?"

"A thank you," Andrea replies, herself slightly out of breath as well.

"Andrea. I..."

She silences him with her fingers to his lips, guessing what he is about to say. "Clark, it wasn't asking for anything. I'm not sure I'm ready for anything. Just take it as what I'm saying, please."

"Ok," Clark accepts because he isn't sure he's ready for anything either. "I will say you really know how to make a guy feel welcome."

Andrea smiles brightly. "Well thank you. You're not so bad yourself," she says.

"If you ever need to talk I'm still just a phone call away."

"Same here," she returns the offer.

"Goodbye Andrea."

"Andi."

"What?"

"My close friends, they get to call me Andi."

Clark smiles widely at the privilege she is allowing him. "Andi," he rolls his tongue over it with a delight at the word. "Bye."

"Bye."

Andrea shows him to the door and in a gust of wind Clark and Bart are gone. She shuts the door and leans against it. Her fingers trace over her lips which are still tingling. Clark could kiss. No doubt about that. Could be just because it's been her first kiss in awhile. She had avoided relationships for varying reasons since she gained her powers. She was focussed on her revenge and she was concerned over how any guy would react to her now she has her powers. Plus, you know, the whole she could accidentally crush them bit.

Andrea blows out a breath. She is still conflicted. For now she will leave the kiss as she said it was. A thank you. A relationship...she needs more time before she thinks she is ready.

She straightens herself up. No time to dwell on this right now. She has to get to work and meet her Editor. She really wonders what it is Mr White wants to see her about exactly.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The two blurs that are Clark and Bart slow down to normal human pace as they reach the gates of the Institute.

"So, seriously dude why aren't you dating her?" Bart wants to know about Andrea. "Anyone could see you were hot for each other. I was tempted to throw a bucket of water over the two of ya several times."

Clark rolls his eyes. The whole trip back Bart has been banging on about this. "It's complicated."

"What's complicated about it? You like her, right?"

"I'm attracted to her, yes," Clark will admit. He can hardly deny it since he gave as much as he took in that kiss. He can still feel the lingering impression of her lips on his.

"I'm pretty certain she likes you so what's stopping ya?"

Clark silently groans. He can't believe he is talking about this with Bart. "I'm worried."

"About?"

"A few things. Mostly that I don't want her to be a rebound. I only broke up with my last girlfriend last month. Andrea deserves better than for her to be my rebound."

Bart nods. He could actually get that.

"And what broke us up was secrets. I have a lot of them. I'm not even sure where to start telling Andrea."

"What secrets? Like a secret identity? I guess you have one too, like her?"

"I do but she knows it already."

"Dude, you're holding out on me," Bart complains, looking hurt.

"Why wouldn't I? Because you're so trustworthy?" Clark makes the stab.

"Oh, ouch," Bart makes the joky remark, putting on a show of being hurt.

Clark just gives him a look.

"Ok, ok, I probably deserve that," Bart accepts.

Clark supposes he should give Bart a little show of trust. It is a two-way street and Bart needs encouragement. "My name is Clark. Clark Kent."

Bart grins, touched by the show of faith in him. A faith he finds he doesn't want to betray.

"Come on," Clark says as he walks to the gate. "We need to get you to see the Professor," he tells Bart what happens first as he sticks his thumb onto a part of the intercom. It lights up and the gate opens.

"Dude, what was that?"

"Biometric scanner," Clark replies. Normally he just jumps over the gates but with Bart here he had to do it the normal way. It has all their fingerprints stored.

"Awesome," Bart just has to say. He had seen a few reports about the X-Men on the news but in truth he really didn't know a huge amount about them. He wondered what else he would discover.

* * *

"Bart Allen, Professor Charles Xavier," Clark does the introductions as the two boys stand in the Professor's office. Clark had phoned ahead and told the Professor he was coming with Bart in tow.

"Welcome to my Institute, Mr Allen," Charles greets the young boy. He takes a moment to look Bart over. He must admit to being extremely curious as to how Bart has the powers he does. No x-gene, no meteor mutation. Some sort of strange lightning apparently. It was certainly a new one, even for him.

"Nice digs man," Bart gives his version of a compliment.

Clark clamps his hand over his eyes and shakes his head. They really must work on how Bart addresses people.

Charles smiles lightly, letting Bart's tone wash over him without complaint. "Thank you. It's not much but it's home," he says humorously. "Now as Superman..."

Clark interrupts. "It's ok Professor. He knows my name is Clark," he informs the older man.

"Ah, very well. As Clark said to me over the phone if all you wish is a roof over your head I am certainly willing to provide that but there will be conditions."

"I kinda figured," Bart said and if he wasn't prepared to accept that he wouldn't have come.

"It's for the protection of my students. You understand that their safety is, and always has been, my number one priority and we have enemies who would use any advantage they can get to hurt us."

Bart can't argue that, not after what happened in Metropolis. Hey, maybe this is what growing up feels like.

"However we can discuss those conditions later. Let us get you settled in first and get you some breakfast," Charles proposes. "Now as for a room..."

"He can room with me," Clark offers.

Charles looks a little surprised.

Bart looks a little delighted. That sounds like a great idea to him.

"You're certain Clark?" the Professor asks for the alien teen to be sure. Clark tended to room by himself because of all his research for stories, his Superman related items, his Kryptonian heritage.

"Yeah," Clark decides. He feels an odd kinship to Bart that he can't fully explain but he wants to do all he can to help Bart settle in.

"Very well," Charles accepts. "We'll sort that out later but first, Bart, if you could wait outside I need a few words in private with Clark."

Bart pouts a little but does as asked.

Once the door is shut Charles addresses the other matter Clark mentioned. Bart's employer. "Lionel was behind this?"

Clark nods. "I talked to him a little and while I hate to label people I really think he's lost it."

Charles was afraid of that. "Do we know what he stole?"

"No. Bart didn't know what he was stealing that first time. He just plugged the memory stick in and it did the work. However," Clark says as he fishes out the memory stick they have and places it on the Professor's desk, "we can see what else he was after."

Charles picks it up. "Did you have a look?"

"I tried. It's encrypted. Andrea didn't have the software to break it. I'm betting Kitty can."

Charles nods. They would have to ask their resident computer hacker/genius to work her magic. "Any chance of getting a lead on Lionel's whereabouts?" he wonders.

"Not sure. He wasn't there. It was an audio/visual relay from somewhere else. These days that could be on the other side of the world. The police are handling it now and investigating. Andi promised to use her sources to let me know. I guess I can ask Chloe to use hers too."

Charles momentarily pauses. Andi. Clark used a very familiar version of her name. He wonders if that signifies a shift in Clark's closeness to the woman. He moves on and doesn't pry. "We had our own excitement while you were gone," he mentions

"I heard. Arrested for starting a brawl. One of my sources in the Bayville PD told me," Clark says with an amused smile.

Clark was turning into the proper reporter. "Yes, well, what they wouldn't have mentioned was that it was with the Hellions."

Clark's face draws more serious. "What were they doing in Bayville?"

"Not 100% certain of the reasons but we're going to be seeing more of them."

"What do you mean Professor?"

"They're moving into the Boarding house the Brotherhood formerly resided in."

"What? Why?" Clark asks, completely mystified why the Hellions are suddenly moving to Bayville.

"There is what Emma told me and then there is the truth. Emma said it was because she had to defeat us to prove herself to the Inner Circle after our last encounter."

"And the truth?"

"Only Emma knows. And perhaps her sister."

"Sister?"

"Emma's older sister, Adrienne, has been appointed to oversee Emma's activities for the Lord Imperial."

"This is going to be...problematic," Clark phrases it as.

"That's putting it mildly."

"Did Emma say anything about Selene or Isobel...or Lana?"

Yes. The poor Lang girl. Still haven't managed to find and save her yet. "Only that Selene is still recuperating from our last encounter. Where she is or Isobel I do not know. Neither does Sage from her last message. Wherever Selene is is perhaps a location only Selene knows."

Clark isn't happy. He desperately wants to save Lana but he just can't seem to catch a break in that area.

"There will be plenty time for you to catch up on what happened. I suspect it is 2-3 weeks before Emma renovates the property and they move in," Charles gives his educated guess on the issue. "Why don't you and Bart go have breakfast and you introduce him to everyone," he suggests.

Clark agrees and gets to his feet. He exits the room to find Bart waiting impatiently. He leads him off in the direction of the kitchen. Mostly everyone should be up by now since it is Monday. Back to school after all. Now this, Bart meeting everyone, this will be interesting.

* * *

Clark opens the door to the kitchen and everyone present pause at seeing the stranger next to him. "Everyone!" he calls out. "Let me introduce Bart Allen. He's going to be staying with us. Bart...you'll get to know everyone in time," he says, because it would take too long to stand here and list them all. He will name a few. "That's my mother and father, Martha and Jonathan Kent," he points at them. "And that little jailbird there is my sister, Claire," he points at her.

"Hey!" Claire objects. "I'm not a fucking jailbird!"

"So you didn't spend the night in the cells?"

"Well, no, I did but that's not the point."

"What is the point?" Clark asks her, truly amused at being able to place her on the spot. "That you got into a fight? The police came and arrested you? That you spent the night in jail? I'm not seeing how that discredits my term for you."

"Clark," his mother's mildly chastising tone reaches him. "Leave off your sister."

"Fine," Clark slightly huffs.

Bart has to say that was funny. He whispers in Clark's ear. "So is she single?"

Clark gives him a look and then points at Marie. "That's her girlfriend."

"Of course it is," Bart laments. Of course she would be gay!

"And really if you ever hit on my sister I'll let Andi get her hands on you next time," Clark warns Bart.

"Whatever dude," Bart dismisses the threat. "Now can I get something to eat, I'm starved."

"Ask nicely," Clark tells him.

Bart does just that to Martha. Amazingly politely actually. Clark didn't know Bart was capable of it.

Martha smiles. She must ask Clark about this at some point. "So Bart, what is your special gift?"

"Apart from my devastatingly good looks?"

Martha laughs slightly at his over-the-top cockiness. "Yes, apart from that."

Bart blurs around the room and returns to the same spot. "I'm the Fastest Man on Earth!"

"Great anothah one," Rogue mutters as she fixes her hair. "Ya bettah let Wanda know because ah don't think she'll take it well considering he's lahke Pietro," she says to Clark.

Clark had to concede that Rogue was probably right there.

"Who's Pietro?" Bart asks.

"Quicksilver, the one I mentioned who can move like us," Clark answers the question. "And Wanda is his twin sister and they don't get on at all," he pre-empts Bart's next question. "She doesn't stay here but she does visit from time to time."

"Well that's ok. A few seconds with me and I'm sure we'll get on great," Bart boasts confidently.

"Or Wanda will hex ya ta oblivion," Rogue gives her downbeat assessment.

Clark will have to explain it better to Bart later so he understands it all or Wanda may well hex him to oblivion. Clark looks at Rogue. "So did you get arrested?" he asks her.

"Why would ya think ah would?"

"Um, it's in your name; Rogue," Clark points out.

"No. Ya know ah wasn't there. Ah didn't go out. Ah was in tha Danger Room practising with mah powers," she informs Clark where she was. "And ya know a little faith would beh nice," she complains at him.

"I do have faith in you. Faith in your ability never to turn down a good fight."

"And people wonder why we broke up," she grumbles at him with a scowl.

"Wasn't a denial," Clark teases her about not rejecting his notion she enjoys a good fight.

"Bite meh, Kent."

"I believe I already have," he says with that 'bad boy' grin that shows how Kal is always a part of him deep down.

Rogue blushes.

Tabby looks interested. "Now that story I have to hear!" she declares.

"When hell freezes ovah!" Rogue snaps back.

"I agree vith zhat sentiment," Kurt says earnestly, trying not imagine what Clark and his sister got up to.

By now Bart had gotten some cereal and Clark goes over to greet his parents properly since he hasn't seen them since Friday.

"You alright, honey?" Martha asks.

"I'm fine," Clark assures her. "Didn't expect to pick up Bart there but...I think we can be good friends," he expresses what he feels.

"You'll have to tell us all about it," Jonathan says.

"How's Andrea doing?" Martha wonders.

"Andi? She's fine. Still trying to come to terms with what happened with her mother but she's definitely a lot better."

Martha's eyebrows rise. _'Andi, huh?' _she mentally remarks. She finds that interesting Clark is suddenly using that form of her name.

Jubilee walks in, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She slept in despite Paige's attempts to get her up and join in the Kentuckian girl's morning workouts. Jubilee mentally shudders at the thought of getting up that early on a cold, dark January morning.

At the sight of her Bart freezes mid-bite before he appears next to her like a ghost.

Jubilee blinks in surprise. "Where did you come from?" she asks the strange boy.

"The future," Bart replies, with what is his best smile.

Jubilee arches an eyebrow. She's officially intrigued by that response. "Really?"

"Yeah. I ran all the way back in time to tell you that we're still in love a hundred years from now."

Jubilee breaks out into a smile. She's liking this boy. "That so? Tell me how am I looking?"

"Haven't aged a day."

Jubilee grabs him by the arm and drags him back to the table. "Please tell me more," she insists.

Clark rolls his eyes. "I should go shower, get changed for school," he says to his parents. "I hope Bart will be ok," he says, a little worried about just dropping this madness on Bart.

Martha looks at Bart talking with Jubilee. The boy is obviously instantly smitten with the Californian girl. "Somehow honey I think he'll be fine."

Clark decides to just take his mother's word for it. He heads for his room only for the sound of angry words getting exchanged up ahead. Amara and Roberto.

"Will you stop avoiding me and just talk to me, dammit!" Roberto shouts at her as she strides on, trying to ignore him. He's been trying to talk to her for 2 days.

Amara's been avoiding him for 2 days. "I have nothing to say to you, you obnoxious pile of manure!" she shouts back.

"You owe me an explanation!"

That gets Amara to stop, turn and glare at him. "I owe you nothing! Nothing! We're through! Do you hear me? And if you ever lay your hands on me again like you did on Friday night I'll give you a personal demonstration of how a man is turned into a eunuch!"

Roberto dares grab her arm. "We are not through!"

Clark has seen enough. He blurs and grabs Roberto's wrist and squeezes enough to make Roberto wince. "Yes, you are, Roberto. Now leave...at least until you calm down."

"Clark," Roberto starts to warn him.

Clark's expression grows intense and his eyes glow dimly red. "Roberto. Take a walk. Calm down. That isn't a request," he says, his tone broaching no argument whatsoever.

Roberto is steaming but not enough to foolishly try and take on Clark. He jerks his hand back, out of Clark's grip and storms off.

"I didn't need your help!" Amara snaps at him.

_'What is going on?' _Clark asks himself. _'Why are these two so emotionally heightened?' _He takes a breath. "I know you don't Amara. That isn't the point."

Amara glares at him but it softens when he looks back at her with own soft, caring expression. "Thank you," she grudgingly says.

"What is going on?"

Amara snorts rudely. "Don't even get me started on that..." she lists off some Nova Roman obscenities, only a few Clark knows.

Clark's eyebrows rise at her language. "Uh, I'm going to go with you didn't have a good night, Friday."

"Really? What was your first clue?" Amara says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Amara," Clark states her name simply.

Amara calms a little. "Sorry. He's just been...possessive, like I'm an object. I'm not!"

"I agree."

"Well there I was dancing with someone else, which by the way was none of his business. I'll dance with who I want! Anyway he decided to forcefully end it and then punched the guy. That's what started the fight."

"What about you?"

"Me? I left them to their own stupidity. Turned out to be a good idea. I met this guy, he had seen it all, he was really sweet to me afterwards. Walked me home. Might just be seeing more of him in the future."

Sounds like a half-decent person to Clark. "So you and Roberto are done?"

"Yes. Now if he'll just get that through his thick skull we can all go on with our lives all the merrier!" Amara declares her wish.

"If it means anything I'll do what I can to help," Clark offers.

Amara smiles. Clark's touching concern washing away her anger. "Thank you..." she smirks and bows her head, "Lord Kal-El."

Clark groans. "Don't do that."

"But you're my God," she teases.

"Then as you're God, I decree you don't call me that."

"Yes, Lord Kal-El!" Amara chimes in joky obedience. "Whatever you command, Lord Kal-El!" she says, giving him a full-on bow.

"Ugh!" Clark groans in complaint as he just decides to leave at this point, seeing he can't win.

Amara chuckles to herself. That was fun.

* * *

_Author's Note: Just as you voted for; Bart at the mansion. Although for now I don't see him joining in with the X-Men. It's more just a roof over his head for him. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Just a few loose ends to tie up and we catch up with Lionel._


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

**That night...**

Clark was getting ready for his usual night out patrolling around Bayville. Bart was...Clark cocks his head and listens.

Apparently still trying to hit on Jubilee. Ah well, as long as Bart was settling in and not overly annoying anyone that's what's important. According to his parents Bart had behaved while Clark was at school. Although Bart was hyperactive, which Clark already knew and Bart proved that once again when he showed up at the school at lunchtime, complaining about being bored.

Clark sighs at that memory. They weren't suppose to use their powers at school. If Kelly had spotted Bart it would have brought all sorts of trouble. In fact as soon as they sort out Bart's legal identity issues surely he would be attending school as well so there will be trouble. It's only a matter of time.

Another bed had been moved into Clark's room for Bart and he was certain he could make this work. Bare minimum someone had to keep an eye on Bart and make sure he stuck, mostly, to the rules and no-one else but Clark can keep up with the speedy youngster.

Clark had talked to Andi about what it was her boss was wanting. Clark was right by the way. He gave her a promotion for her story. Andi was genuinely surprised but Clark thinks also very excited. He recalls her saying she wasn't sure if being a reporter was for her but after seeing her work, helping her with her work, Clark can see she does have a talent for it.

Andrea could be an amazing writer if she wants to be. Clark immensely enjoyed helping her. It was exciting debating her as she comes at things differently but her point of view is just as valid. He hopes they can continue to do that going forward. It can only help the both of them with their writing.

On another issue he had told his family and the Professor about the fact Lionel now knew he was the Traveller. They were all deeply concerned and as confused, as Clark was, as to how. Now that he had time to think on it Clark wasn't sure how massively it changed anything. He knew Lionel had been looking for him for a long time. Most likely to try and use Clark's power for his own gains but Lionel didn't know the Traveller was Clark Kent. Lionel had no leverage over Clark. It was Superman Lionel knew to be the Traveller.

If Lionel had found him when he was little and, Clark doesn't know, raised him as a Luthor or something, then it would all be very different but that never happened. Clark is who he is and Lionel has nothing and no way to bend Clark to his will in any fashion. The greatest possible threat the Professor could think of is that Lionel may know of Clark's weakness to kryptonite. That puts Lionel on a par with Magneto and hey that is why Beast and Forge created the material Clark's suit is made of that helps protect him.

So Lionel knows he's an alien. What's he going to do? Tell the whole world? Like they would believe a man who was in prison on charges of treason amongst many, many other charges.

So bottom line as far as Clark can see is that the situation with Lionel hasn't greatly changed in the end.

"Come in, Scott," Clark says just before his friend is about to knock on his door.

Scott comes in. There was something he needed to address with Clark and he hadn't had a chance so far yet today. "Clark, can I ask you something about Bart?"

"Sure," Clark replies.

"He's not here to be part of the X-Men."

Clark had mentioned that, yes. "Scott, he has literally nowhere else to go."

"I'm not planning to kick him out, Clark but we all here, you included, work towards something, a goal, an ideal. He doesn't."

Clark can see how Scott might find that odd. Scott's a very uptight person who works his life in routines. He lives his life by objectives to achieve essentially. "Bart is just lost, Scott. He has no memory, nothing to base his life on. Just give him some time to settle in and let him see what we do and I think he'll come to appreciate what we do. If nothing else he might end up joining in because he's bored."

Scott gives Clark a small look of disapproval at that notion.

Clark shrugs. "Bart's a little scattered-brained, I don't deny it but there is a good person there. We just have to give him a secure home and encourage him to let it out and then you'll see he can be an asset. Trust me."

If Clark's asking for trust, Scott will give it. He guesses he'll just have to find a way to cope with Bart in the meantime.

* * *

**Short time later in Bayville...**

Volcana was flying above her brother as she joined him on his patrol. It had been a fairly average night...or Clark described it as such. Claire was still finding her feet in this whole hero biz. She flies in low so she can talk to him as he runs. "So I was meaning to ask, how's your girlfriend doing? You two have a nice weekend together?" she asks, being deliberately annoying in how she asks that.

"I keep telling you, Andi is not my girlfriend," Clark continues to object to that description.

"And yet you are now calling her 'Andi'."

"Because she said I could. That is what her close **friends **call her."

"Ah, so you're _close _friends now, got it," she says with cheeky grin.

"Screw you," Clark grouses at her.

"That's what Marie is for."

Clark shudders at the imagery. "I am so getting mom to give you 'The Talk'," he vows.

"How do you know it's not too late for that already?" Claire asks him, a wicked smile on her lips.

"Is it?" Clark asks in all seriousness.

"That would be telling," Claire sing-songs.

With his sense of smell Clark should know that she's joking yet he can't be sure. It would explain Claire's oddly upbeat mood tonight. Suddenly he screeches to a halt.

Claire abruptly stops her flight and looks worried at his almost pained expression. "What?"

"Signal Watch."

"Say what?"

"It's something I made when I couldn't sleep one night. Basically it's a watch with a few additions. I gave it to a friend should she ever need me to contact me. It sends out a hypersonic signal that only I and creatures of the four-legged variety can hear."

"You made?" Claire questions that idea.

"Yes," he confirms and then at her disbelieving expression asks, "What? You don't think I could do it?"

"No. It's just I didn't know you could do it."

"Well I can."

"Since when do you hear hypersonic frequencies?" Claire moves the questioning on.

"Sometimes my 3 months being Jor-El's prisoner and brainwashed puppet have benefits," Clark explains when and how he discovered it.

"Yeah, about that. After all he did and you're learning from him?" Claire questions the idea. Personally she would fry the bastard's metaphorical ass to oblivion.

"I haven't forgotten a single thing he has done, I assure you. It's just a matter of I can't do a great deal about it as much as I wish I could. He exists and he's the only one who can give me answers. It's more a grudging acceptance of reality."

"So this friend of yours?" Claire returns to that.

Clark points in a direction. "That way," he says as he blurs off and Claire follows.

As they near a rooftop Claire spots a woman with short blond hair, dressed in a long brown trench coat, wearing black gloves too, obviously trying to stave off the cold. When she lands she gets a surprised look from the woman.

Clark appears like a ghost next to Claire. "Detective Sawyer," he greets his friend in the Bayville PD. "Congratulations on the promotion, by the way," he adds since he never got a chance to before now that she moved from Officer up to Detective.

"Superman," Maggie greets him back and looks again at the flame orange haired girl.

"This is Volcana," he introduces her. "Volcana this is Detective Margaret Sawyer."

"Hi," Volcana says curtly.

"Forgive her, she isn't very talkative...usually," Superman makes a face as he says that since when it comes to annoying him over Andrea she never shuts up. "She's my...we're going with sidekick in training," he says with a great big smirk.

"Fuck you," Volcana replies.

Maggie arches an eyebrow.

"We're working on her language," Superman promises.

"Can we talk...in private?" Maggie asks him.

"Sure," Superman agrees and the two walk over to the other side of the roof. "How may I help you Detective?"

"Where were you this last weekend?" she asks him bluntly.

"Busy...helping a friend in Metropolis."

"That was what that phone call was about?" she asks him since he phoned her, asking for her help about some superfast kid.

Superman nods. "Yes. Thank you for that."

"I'm not sure you should. Did you know your friends were arrested?"

"I am aware."

"You weren't here to stop it," she sounds close to accusing him.

"Even I can't be in two place at once," Superman defends himself. "Something's the matter, isn't it." he can guess from her tense tone and body language.

"You know the issue we have about how to deal with your kind."

"Always considered myself one of a kind, personally," he half-jokes because it's true. He is one of a kind. The last of his kind. He doesn't correct her misnomer over what he is.

"Cut the jokes."

Superman sobers. "I know," he says, acknowledging the issues the police and authorities in general are grappling with involving mutants and super-powered people.

"They're planning to set up a Special Unit, just to deal with it...you know crimes involving _gifted _individuals."

"I see," Superman says blandly, reserving judgement.

"This has been coming. I did warn you."

"You did," he acknowledges she has mentioned this several times.

"People like yourself have to be accountable to the law."

"I agree," Superman tells her. "In fact myself and my friend in Metropolis were making that very point to someone that in fact we have to be held into account more because of our power."

He always manages to catch Maggie by surprise a little by his attitude. He just seems to have a natural affinity to see the argument from both sides. "I hear rumours about getting the means soon, like someone is working on them."

"Lionel Luthor was before it all blew up as it did."

"And his son bought out the company. Do you know...?"

"If Lex is carrying on the work? No but..." Superman stops. What was it Lionel stole from Lex? What is it Lex is working on for SHIELD? It had to be, more likely than not, mutant related. Could it be this, what Detective Sawyer is talking about? Maybe it's on that stick he brought back. "It's possible. I'm looking into it," he says.

"You'll let me know," she requests.

"I will. You should know that other group who were arrested with my friends are mutants too and they're coming to town soon to stay," Superman informs her. Clark feels she needs to know. He owes her that warning.

"Oh wonderful," Maggie says sarcastically. "Why do I feel there's a long story behind that?"

"There is. They work for some...rather unpleasant people, powerful people. If you cross them they can make your life hell."

"What are they? The evil version of your friends?"

"Sort of."

"I feel like I need a drink."

"Never understood that urge myself but then again alcohol has no effect on me."

Maggie eyes him. "Are you even old enough to drink?" she asks sceptically.

"That's complicated."

"How?"

"By the fact I'm not even sure exactly how old I am. I don't know when my real birthday is. I just picked a day and guessed my age."

"You don't know when you were born?"

"Orphan," Superman explains it and then shrugs his shoulders.

Maggie tries to assess him, looking at his face. It's incredibly stoic but there is a sadness in his eyes that is quite telling. "I think it best you tell me everything you know, starting at the beginning," she requests.

"Ok. Well lets see first there was the Big Bang and the universe bursts into life in a cataclysmic explosion whose echo can still be measured in the microwave background radiation present throughout..."

Maggie cuts him off. "Cut the wise ass," she tells him.

Superman chuckles. "You did say everything from the beginning," he reminds her.

"I'll remember to choose my words more carefully. Now I definitely need that drink."

"I'll tell you what you want but you won't like it and there is a risk in merely knowing."

"Huh, just like the day I met you then," Maggie dead-pans.

"I'm crushed."

"Still don't think super-powered vigilantes are a good idea," she points out her opinion really hasn't changed despite getting to know and respect Superman a little.

"I only try to help. If a day comes I'm not I'll stop," he tells her.

"I believe you."

"I never lie...much," he jokes.

Maggie ends up laughing a little at his jokey expression. "So what's the story with your sidekick in training there? Are you two...you know?"

"Are we, what?" Superman asks, clearly not knowing.

"How can I phrase it? Are you exploring your feelings to the full?"

"Are we what?" Superman asks, utterly lost.

"Sweet lord, he's naïve," she mutters to herself. "Are you a couple?" she just asks it.

Superman's jaw drops. "No!" he squeaks. "No, no, definitely not. I'm so not her type," he insists, in rapid words.

"Really? You're not?"

"No. You're more her type."

"Oh," Maggie says as the penny drops. "You mean smart, dedicated, hard-working law enforcement types."

"Um...she has issues with authority so go with the obvious one."

"I have a girlfriend."

"So does she...and I so do not want to know what they're getting up to."

Maggie finds herself laughing again. "Come on. I know a place we can talk that's out of the cold and you can tell me all about this other group of mutants," she offers.

"Right." Superman puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles. "Flamey! We're going!"

"Flamey!" Volcana screeches at yet another stupid nickname. "I keep telling you it's Volcana! Volcana!"

"Well it could be worse. You want to hear Spidey's latest for you?"

"You want to know what grilled arachnid tastes like?" Volcana fires back.

"Tastes like chicken don't it?"

At seeing and hearing this display Maggie can only mutter the following to herself. "I so need another job."

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The Professor makes his way down to the lower levels. It had been an interesting day he could say. Bart was...rather hyperactive. Logan was already planning the boy's murder but there was nothing inherently bad about Bart. He just liked to joke. He was like Bobby in many ways.

Bart had moved in with Clark and it seemed likely the two boys would get along nicely. There was still the issue of Clark's alien status. Bart wasn't to be told yet but there was to be no special effort to keep it secret either. If...when it comes out, it comes out. Clark...all of them will deal with it then.

Charles wishes to deal with another issue right now which is why he is entering the computer room where he finds Kitty beavering away, trying to decrypt the data Clark brought back. "How is it going Kitty?"

Kitty pauses in her work and turns her head momentarily to acknowledge the Professor's presence. "Slowly," she has to regretfully say. "I'll get there, Professor, I will," she promises. "But it might take me a couple of days," she says apologetically.

Charles pulls up next to her. "There is no need to overexert yourself Kitty. Take however long you need."

"But this is, like, super important though. To find out what Lionel was after and try and like figure out what he is totally up to," Kitty supposes.

"It is important," Charles won't deny. "But not more important than your health and I won't see you work yourself into an early grave," he expresses a concern about her working too hard.

Kitty blows her bangs out of her face. "I can say one thing whoever Lionel has working for him is a genius."

"What do you mean?"

"The stick contained a sort of seeker program. As soon as the stick was plugged in it would infiltrate the computer, seek out the desired data and upload it. The courier, our new friend, he didn't have to do anything except bypass physical security and stick it in the appropriate access slot."

"Which is easy for him with his gift." Charles can begin to understand why Lionel hired the boy now.

"Go figure."

"Indeed."

"Do we have any idea what it was Lionel managed to get that first time?"

"Unfortunately no. Bart did not know. All we do know is that it was from Lex's head of security."

"Do we know what Lex is up to?"

"Beyond creating something for SHIELD, again no."

"Creating something to be used against us?" Kitty wonders.

"The government is seeking ways to better...enforce the law in regards to mutants. I can't really hold that against them but I would prefer to be in the loop as to what precisely. It would be more beneficial to both sides if we worked together. By doing it themselves they are simply giving people like Magneto an opening to claim they are working in secret on ways to persecute mutantkind."

"Yeah, that sounds like something he would you do," Kitty has to unhappily agree. She returns to work, her brow furrowed deep as she tries to peel back the layers of extremely sophisticated encryption. This is cutting edge in terms of digital security.

Charles makes a mental note to make sure someone insists Kitty goes to bed at a reasonable time and doesn't work too late. She still has school in the morning. He does have to wonder though what it is Lionel did manage to get and what he plans to do with it.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

In the office at the Shaw Industries factory Lionel sat, drinking a fine scotch, as he watched Cypher work on decrypting the data they did manage to retrieve from his son. It was only half of what he wanted.

Lionel is...disappointed rather than angry. It will slow down his work but it won't stop it. What none of them realise is that the fast boy was only one part of a multi-pronged plan Lionel is beginning to execute. In the end he'll get what he needs one way or the other.

If anything Lionel is disappointed in himself for not considering Superman's interference. It was a perfectly reasonable assumption that Superman would not be there. The young 'hero' frequented the East Coast; Bayville and New York. Metropolis was a thousand miles away. Lionel's best explanation as to why Superman was in Metropolis; that other interesting individual. The one who calls herself Nightwing. She must have called Superman in.

Superman seems to be making more alliances. All the better for when Lionel's plans come to fruition.

It wasn't a complete loss. He finally got confirmation of what he suspected as a possibility. Superman is the long fabled Traveller. It was the hero's reaction to the meteor rock that did it. Lionel was watching the whole thing.

_His home is his weakness._

It was a line from some Veritas meeting Lionel can barely remember. The line stuck with him for whatever reason. So much so he had Dr Essex do a theoretical study into confirming the validity of the line.

Now he knows the truth, Lionel can adjust his plans accordingly. The Traveller will join him in making a better world as the prophecy says or he can perish with the old world when Lionel sweeps it away.

The door to the office opens and Lionel glances over as Shinobi Shaw walks in, looking to be in a foul mood. "I hope you and Ivan didn't get into a fight," Lionel mildly chastises Shinobi who was overseeing Ivan's work. This is why they are here after all.

"He wants a cockatoo," Shinobi complains about Ivan's latest demand.

"Then give him one," Lionel says, not seeing how this is worth an argument over.

"He is also rude and disrespectful of me. Does he know who am I?" Shinobi asks incredulously.

Lionel rolls his eyes. "You must allow genius some latitude, Shinobi."

Shinobi continues his grumbling. "And what does he mean 'Robots are better'?" he asks, doing a poor impression of Ivan.

"For the moment they are. Finding the required number of people and training them would be difficult under the time constraints and also risks a leak. The fewer who know what we're up to the better."

"How long do you expect to be able to keep this hidden from my father?" Shinobi asks. His father was a fool but wasn't completely stupid.

"Long enough. This facility's output, while it will decrease, will still produce what your father believes it does. The reduction...well I'm afraid you'll just have to take your father's scoldings over the issue for a few months."

Shinobi isn't happy at that but can see the necessity of just grinning and baring it. Lionel's plans were...ambitious to say the least but they would fundamentally shift the balance of power in the world but more importantly it would put Shinobi in a position to rub it his father's face.

"Ooh!" Cypher suddenly says excitedly. "I've done it!" he announces with a grin.

Lionel smiles and stands up and walks over to where Cypher is sitting at Shinobi's desk. Shinobi had been kind enough to provide access to the Shaw Industries computer mainframe situated here. "Well done, Douglas. Well done," he praises the boy.

Cypher smiles proudly at the praise he is getting.

Shinobi walks over as well. He was curious about what precisely Lionel stole. "What did you steal?"

Lionel turns the computer monitor round for Shinobi to see. "Security assignments. If I had stolen the data directly Lex would have figured it out what I was seeking but I can deduce where to look from where the security personnel have been stationed."

"Deduce what?"

"The storage facilities for where Lex holds the meteor rocks he collected."

"Meteor rocks?" Shinobi queries, having no idea what they are or how they are relevant to their work.

"Power cells. They make power cells, Shinobi. Cheaper and easier to mass produce than trying to copy Stark's Arc Reactor which uses rare and expensive elements. You couldn't hide that expense from your father."

"You plan to steal these rocks," Shinobi assumes.

"I have Mr Cole and his associates still in the States and ready to move in as soon as I give him the locations. I need you to organise the rocks' transportation here without detection. Ivan will then perfect the power cells. I admit they can be dangerously unstable but Ivan assures me he can compensate for that."

"And then we'll make the world a better place, right?" Cypher asks.

"Of course, Douglas. Just exactly as we discussed. You know I would not resort to these, what can be deemed, illegal methods, if I was given a choice," Lionel humours the boy.

"I know," Cypher says, fully trusting Lionel.

Lionel pats the boy on the shoulder in a fatherly gesture of support. Superman may have given him a minor setback but he was still on the path. Now the next step. That old project of his Lex has continued on with. He needs to see what stage it is at and acquire the technology back. "Douglas, have you made progress tracking down that...immoral project of my son's we discussed so I can put a stop to it?" Lionel asks, phrasing it carefully so Douglas thinks Lionel wants to put a stop to it. He does in the sense he doesn't want Lex to get it any further along. Lionel wants it back under his control.

"Oh yes! Yes, I have," Cypher responds. He taps away on the keyboard and brings it up on the screen. "This is it, right?"

Lionel smiles widely. "Yes. Yes it is."

Shinobi looks on with a puzzled look. Project Cyborg? What in the world is that?

* * *

_Author's Note: I felt it had been too long since we last saw Clark's cop friend and she is raising a topic I'll be dealing with soon in relation to how to enforce the law with beings like mutants when no normal holding facilities are up to the task. Oh dear, now what is Lionel up to next? I've added a poll on my profile page for what Cannonball's team should be called as I can't decide. Please vote. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Kitty decrypts the data which forces the Professor to make a very difficult decision that risks further dividing mutantkind as well as the students themselves._


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

**At the Institute...**

A couple of days later Kitty was working late down in the computer room still trying to finish the decryption of the data from Lex. She was biting on her thumb nail...which was a habit she was trying to quit.

Peter had had a few suggestions...on helping her decrypt, not her biting her nails problem. He wasn't the greatest at the interstices of computers but he could do maths and decryptions were usually finding the mathematical formula through which the data was encrypted to start with.

Kitty pauses. Peter. She finds she thinks a lot about Peter. She is starting to wonder what it means in terms of her feelings. Peter's...great seems so inadequate but he is. She also worries about him, out there every night, sometimes by himself fighting who knows what villain. She understands...she thinks at least she understands why he does it and she accepts it. He needs to help people. It's very noble but still she can't help but worry he'll get hurt by one of these villains one day.

Ok, so in actuality some of his villains are pretty lame. This time when they were out on a date there was this guy who could control metal rings. Those were his weapons. He was called the Ringer(which is a name so lame Kitty can't help laughing every single time she hears it). Kitty called him Hula Hoop Man and joked to Peter openly exactly how he had the lamest villains.

Kitty defeated the guy thanks to her amazing phasing powers. He wasn't a mutant. Just a man in a high-tech suit which she shorted out. Saying that she would love to know where all these people who keep popping up get all their toys from.

Seriously since mutants were revealed 6 months ago it seems every nut-job and insane genius in the world suddenly decided, 'Ooh I know, I'll build something ridiculous and try and take over the world'.

Kitty's lips curve up into a smile. After that incident Peter took her swinging through the city. That was amazing. Always is...and there was some pretty amazing making out as well.

Kitty is starting to wonder whether she is ready to take the next step with Peter.

Before she can think more the computer beeps as her latest decryption program finishes its work.

Kitty's eyes light up with interest as she can see that it's succeeded. Finally! She leans in close as she tries to figure out what it is she sees before her.

Horror dawns on Kitty's face as she realises what it is Lex is working on. "Oh no," she whispers.

* * *

Up in the mansion above Clark and Claire are returning from another night out just before their curfew. It is a school night after all and Logan and the adults were still very insistent on this curfew so they get the right amount of rest.

Claire heads straight for her room, muttering something about snuggling up with Marie. Clark so did not want to know. He heads to the kitchen and grabs himself a snack before he turns in. He looks upward and uses his x-ray vision to peer into his room to check on his roommate. Yep, Bart was conked out, fast asleep.

It was going ok. Bart is a little over abundant with energy but he's no worse than Bobby to live with. In fact those two were engaged in a prank war to see who could outdo the other.

Once he has had his snack he decides he too will grab a couple hours of rest. He leaves the kitchen only to pause as he picks up the sounds of quiet music drifting along the corridor. Clark follows it to one of the sitting rooms and finds the source of it to be a certain purple haired telepath staying up late, sitting, reading a book. She is dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of cut off jeans.

"Can't sleep?" he asks.

Betsy looks up and smiles at him. "No," she replies. "Although it should be the opposite thanks to your new room-mate."

"Bart?" Clark queries, bemused by what she means.

"For a telepath he's exhausting. He thinks at a million miles an hour. It's this constant stream of gibberish going by too fast to make it out."

"Um...sorry?" Clark offers, at a loss what else to say.

Betsy shakes her head a little. He's so nice and polite all the time. "You just back?" she asks him.

Clark nods. "Yes."

"When do you have fun?"

"I did go out like you asked on Friday," Clark reminds her.

That clicks an idea in Betsy's head. "You still owe me a dance."

"Um...ok. I guess."

Betsy grabs her music player, shifts through the stored songs and chooses one before turning up the volume. She rises to her feet and signals for him to come close.

Clark figures out what she wants. "Here? Now?" he queries because it is very late.

"You have better things to do?" she almost dares him. "Come on. I don't bite," she promises. "Well not unless you ask me too. From what I hear that's something you know about," she quips with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Clark knew that joke he made would, forgive him, bite him in the ass.

"I'm waiting," she pouts.

Clark sighs. He does owe her a dance. He saddles up to her and she grabs his hand, locks their fingers and places her other hand on his back. For whatever reason she's chosen a slow dance song.

Her and Clark slowly move round on the spot.

"You're better than you let on," Betsy comments in regards to his comment about being a bad dancer.

"This sort of thing I'm good at...as long as I don't stand on your toes. I'm kinda heavy."

Betsy fixes that by taking her bare feet and standing on his boots, bringing their bodes even closer together. "Problem solved!" she declares.

"Only it leaves me doing all the work," he points out with a dorky expression of mock complaint.

"Well isn't that what men are for," Betsy jokes.

"What happened to equality between the sexes?"

"I leave sex equality for between the sheets," she says with heavy suggestiveness.

Clark blushes brightly and Betsy thinks it so cute the way he can be made to go red. Clark clears his throat, clearly uncomfortable at the way Betsy has pushed this conversation. "Um, err, so how are you finding the Institute now?" he asks, desperate to change the subject.

Betsy grins and lets him off the hook. "Oh it's pretty good. Uncle Charley..." (hey he isn't here to stop her calling him that), "has been teaching me new techniques to control my powers. New mental exercises, mediation, you know that sort of thing."

"Too many voices in your head?"

"Yeah."

"I understand. I can never shut out the noise."

Betsy looks up into his face. "Noise?" she queries.

"My superhearing. It never turns off. I always hear them. All the time. Millions and millions of people," he says, his voice drifting off into a haunted echo.

A flame of deep sympathy bursts inside Betsy. He had mentioned his hearing, of course, when she was enquiring about him after he told her he was an alien. He didn't mention that he suffers like that. "Hey," she says softly. He looks down at her with those blue eyes, a vulnerability in them that you can drown in. "I'm sorry."

Clark smiles a little. "You don't need to apologise. It's the price of my power."

"How about I show that gender equality and take you out some time?" she offers.

Clark looks at her curiously. "Out? As in...?"

"Two friends spending some time together," she fills in although in her head she might privately call it a date but she doesn't want to push her luck just yet and risk scaring him off. "I am a friend, right?"

"Of course...and I accept your offer," he says.

Betsy grins brilliantly. That's a step forward.

* * *

"Professor!" Kitty calls out urgently as she phases her way into his room through his door. "Professor!" she repeats her call.

"Y-yes Kitty?" the Professor groggily answers from his bed as her yelling ruins his slumber.

"I'm really, really, like totally sorry to wake you but it's like mega important. I cracked the data and...it's bad...I think...I don't believe it's good...well it's complicated...not sure what it means...Lex...mutant response...badness."

Charles gets next to nothing from that. He leans over and hits the switch on his desk-side lamp turning it on. "Kitty, slow down, take a deep breath," he advises.

Kitty tries to do as asked.

Charles takes a moment to wake up. "Now you've cracked the data encryption, yes?"

Kitty nods.

"And this won't wait until morning?"

Kitty shakes her head.

"Very well," Charles says with a tried sigh. "You wait outside. I'll be a moment."

Kitty does that and phases out through the door.

* * *

Once Charles puts on his robe and gets down to the computer room it doesn't take long to figure out what Kitty was meaning. This is serious. So serious the Professor wakes up Beast to come down and have a look.

Hank's expression after only a customary assessment of what is on the screen is grave.

"Is it what it appears to be?" Charles asks his old friend.

Hank has to reluctantly nod in confirmation. "Yes. Lex is working on power inhibition technology."

"It's a power inhibiting collar isn't it?" Kitty asks, worry etched deeply into her face.

"It appears to be," Charles must concede. "However lets not jump to conclusions yet. There is a lot of data here to process. Kitty, why don't you go to bed. Hank and I will analyse this," he tells her.

"But I can help," Kitty insists.

"That's not in doubt but you still have school in the morning and you need your sleep," the Professor logically debates her down. "Now off to bed," he makes it an order and Kitty obeys.

Charles turns back to the issue at hand.

"This shouldn't be a complete surprise," Hank comments about this discovery. "Stryker had this technology and he worked for Lionel."

"And Lex bought out the assets," Charles finishes the link. "I know."

"If anything we should be surprised this hasn't come out before now," Hank thinks.

Charles has a theory about why Lex hasn't produced this technology already. "When I was being held by Stryker I got the distinct impression he was not overly enamoured to be working for Lionel."

"That being the case you believe Stryker wasn't entirely forthcoming with all his technological secrets," Hank can assumes what Charles is hinting at and therefore that is why Lex is not further along.

"Yes."

"And we both know the Hellfire Club would never share this technology. It would take away its advantage," Hank reasons why they have never produced this technology despite possessing it.

"Well at least not until there is money to make and influence to be bought," Charles modifies that assertion about the Hellfire Club.

"That's true," Hank agrees.

Charles turns his attention to sorting through the data. "How about you look at the technical details to see how far along they are while I read the reports," he proposes for how they divide the work.

"Very well," Hank agrees and the two men get to work.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

As Lionel had mentioned to Shinobi he was good friends with Cameron Hodge who in turn is good friends with the Genoshan President. Well Cameron's aid in getting into country came at a price. Right now Lionel is in Cameron's office in the capital explaining why there has been a partial delay on his side of the bargain.

"You lost the data," Cameron accuses. He was a man just above average height with blond hair, slim stature with a long, narrow face.

"I did not lose the data," Lionel refutes that description. "In all likelihood it is probable Superman took it," he gives his opinion on where it is.

"That's...disappointing," Cameron phrases it as, his tone showing it is a lot more than that.

"Yes, yes. I'm sure a short delay in your ability to control mutants is going to render the whole country a wasteland," Lionel snarks.

Cameron eyes his old friend with a perplexed expression. This didn't sound like the Lionel Luthor he remembered. "The President sees mutants as another source of material wealth."

"Lets not beat around the bush, Cameron. He sees them as a superpowered slave workforce."

"A slave is a term you can only apply to humans which mutants are not. It is no different to how humans have used horses and donkeys and such. You wouldn't call them slaves but to our ancestors they were an invaluable tool in helping them advance forward. Mutants are no different. The President sees this."

"Whatever term we use I agreed to help you provide the means to control mutants in exchange for asylum in Genosha and I shall live up to my bargain. You know I always do. Without the data it will merely take me more time. That is all."

"The President is not always a patient man."

"That's a character flaw. From my spell in prison I can tell you patient is one of God's greatest gifts. It literally helped me become who I am today. Assure your President I will live up to my bargain. The data I have already provided should be more than ample proof of that."

"I will do my best to persuade him of your sincerity. It would help if I knew what you were up to with the Shaw boy."

"That wasn't part of our agreement Cameron. All I will say is that my plans will bring benefits to us all."

"I can hardly do otherwise. Now if business is out of the way how about you and I spend this evening together," Cameron suggests.

"Splendid idea," Lionel agrees.

"Very well then. I shall see you tonight."

"Indeed," Lionel says as she stands up. The two men shake hands and Lionel departs. Once outside he takes a moment to bask in the sunshine and in to be in a place he doesn't have to worry about the authorities trying to arrest him again.

Now that meeting is over he has to attend to other business. He leaves Shinobi to oversee Vanko's work. Lionel's business is Superman. Now he knows that Superman is the Traveller he needs to reinvest some time and effort into investigating what he needs to bring that young...man, using the term loosely, to heel.

The Kawatche caves in Smallville would be a good start since there is clearly some sort of link. Lionel knew that ages ago. He just got distracted. Now how to go about doing what he needs to to investigate those caves. He can come up with the funds to organise an archaeological examination of the caves but he can't be there himself personally to oversee it. He needs someone he can trust to do this.

Not Lex.

That link is broken.

Ah family is so fleeting...wait.

Lex is not his only family.

Lionel had almost forgotten about her but not quite.

A smile comes to his lips. Yes, yes! That will work. He just needs to talk to her, persuade her. Oh he has some planning to do and with that Lionel hurries off back to his car.

* * *

**The next morning at the Institute...**

The students were away to school except for Bart. The Professor was still working on that. It's tricky to sort out when they can't even be sure Barry Allen is his real name. It makes it difficult to track down his history. Most likely they'll just have to make a false identity for him.

Anyway Bart's not the Professor's main priority this morning. What he and Hank found on that memory stick is. It is why he has gathered the teaching faculty together. Logan, Storm, Sean, Domino, Jonathan and Martha too. Hank is, of course, here as well to help him explain.

"So, what's up Doc?" Domino asks in a pitch-perfect Bugs Bunny impression.

Logan groans. "How long have ya been waiting to use that one?"

"Ooh, that would be telling," Domino says, being deliberately obtuse.

Sean laughs. He was still learning what it meant to be an instructor around here. One thing he had learned was Dom was funny as hell.

"Very amusing as always, Neena," Charles replies dryly, deliberately using her proper name, knowing that she hates it.

Domino gives him the appropriate dirty look in response.

"This is important," Charles announces in serious tones. "Kitty managed to decrypt the data Clark brought back from Lex."

"What was on it?" Jonathan asks.

"Simply put Lex is working on power inhibitors."

Logan snarls. "What!" he snaps, furious at that.

"Calm yourself, Logan," Charles requests. "From an analysis of the data he's months away from perfecting it."

"I have to go with agreeing with Hairy," Dom expresses her opinion having had personal experience of power inhibitors when she was working for Stryker, working against her will she might add.

"Is this like those collars Shaw had us wear when we were his 'guests'?" Sean asks.

"Precisely like that, yes," Hank confirms.

"How does it work?" Martha asks, having never understood the principles behind it.

"Now that's very interesting," Hank says with a gleam in his eyes. A gleam he always gets when he is allowed to indulge in his love. Science.

"Ho, boy. I know that look," Sean complains. "Me brain's about t' explode isn't it?"

"I'll keep it simple," Hank promises. "When I started to work on figuring this out I had two basses to work on. One, it is something both x-gene and meteor mutants have in common because Volcana had one of those collars as well when she was at Alkali Lake. Two, Clark managed to sketch the internals of one of the collars from memory. It therefore became a task of trying to figure out the internal engineering. Even then I struggled. In fact the issue in the end was that it was so simple I overlooked it."

"What do you mean, Henry?" Ororo asks in her gentile tones.

"I mean is that the principle is so simple I dismissed it as that. Too simple. I thought if you have to suppress our powers it had to be an extremely complicated process."

"It's not?" Dom queries.

"No. It is in fact thanks to Clark's father, Jor-El that I finally got the key to it."

"How?" Jonathan asks, instantly suspicious of anything involving Jor-El.

"Our trip to Nova Roma. I got to read his research notes on creating a power inhibitor for Selene. It's complicated but basically it comes down to electromagnetism. He created a device that generated an electromagnetic field that disrupts the flow of magic within a subject's body. From Clark's sketch I knew that the collars we have experience with have electromagnetic generators. We all know kryptonite generates a very unique form of electromagnetic radiation. It got me thinking hard that that was the key. After further study I managed to measure and detect the fact the x-gene emits its own unique form of electromagnetic radiation."

Hank grabs a pad of paper and pen off the Professor's desk and draws a very simple sine waveform going along up and down. "For argument's sake lets say this is the waveform of the x-gene. Obviously it's far more complex than this but this will do for my demonstration. Now if you overlay the inverse wave," Hank begins while he draws the inverse wave where the peaks are opposite the troughs.

"You cancel it out," Martha states it, recalling her education.

"Exactly," Hank says. "By cancelling out the EM field you effectively switch the x-gene off. The same principle applies to the kryptonite altered gene of the meteor mutants."

"That's disturbingly simple," Ororo has to say.

"Well the theory is simple. Putting it into practise is hard," Hank informs them.

"That would be why Stryker just never blanketed the whole mansion that day he attacked us, then?" Jonathan asks.

"Yes, in a way. The distance this waveform can travel is extremely short. Hence the collars having to be worn. You could blanket an area but you would need dozens if not hundreds of EM generators which would need enormous amounts of power especially if you are to suppress the most powerful mutants. For them you need a very intense field."

"Hank started this research because we knew others had the technology and we needed a way to counter it if necessary," Charles reminds them all of how this started.

"Can ya counter it?" Logan wants to know.

"I'm still working on that. Forge and I have been trying to build our own prototype devices to test. They haven't worked yet but I'm very hopeful for our latest attempt that we have worked out the bugs. It's essentially ready to test today if required. Forge and I were going to do it this weekend."

"Can you counter it?" Sean repeats the question. "Just a theoretical yes or no, Hank," he clarifies what he wants to know that Hank didn't answer.

"On yes, in theory. It's perfectly plausible to build a device to counter the collars. We just need something small enough to be hidden on our persons."

Logan folds his arms across his chest as he chews this over. "Quick question. Would these collars work on Speedy Gonzales?" he wonders about Bart.

"Can't say but doubtful," Hank replies. "Bart's...a very unique individual."

"In what way?" Domino asks. "In the fact he tries to hit on me every morning which is not as flattering as one would assume," she says, sounding like she is making a complaint about it.

"No. As in I have no idea where his power comes from. All I can tell you is that there is an energy present in his cellular structure that I can't identify. It is like nothing I have ever seen."

"What about his memory?" Martha wonders. "Is there any chance of it being restored?" she asks, hoping for Bart to reclaim his past.

"Bart's thoughts moves at such a speed it makes it difficult to interact with his mind," Charles reports. "It's going to be difficult," he has to apologetically say and is understating it. In truth Charles doesn't know how to interact with Bart's mind unless they find a way to slow his thoughts down.

"That would explain his rather disjointed thinking...or it only appears disjointed to us," Hank describes it as.

"I'm lost," Domino admits.

"His thoughts aren't disjointed. He just moves on at such a speed from one topic to the next it looks to us as if he jumps randomly."

Sean returns to the issue of the power inhibitors. "So what are we doing about Lex Luthor?"

"I need to think on it...and sleep. I need sleep," Charles responds. "I was up most of the night. Give me a few hours...and Hank once you have a nap can you set up a demonstration of what you and Forge have been working on for the students when they return from school?"

"No problem."

With that the meeting breaks up but Logan stays behind.

"Yes, Logan?" Charles inquires.

"Luthor Junior is working for Fury," he points out.

"Do you mean is he doing this for SHIELD then I can't say. There was nothing specific in the data we have but we can reasonably assume they and the government would be interested in this technology. In truth this is bringing to ahead a topic of contention that has been building for awhile."

"What do ya mean?" Logan asks, not sure what Chuck means.

"I'll explain it later when Hank makes his demonstration," Charles puts off that answer.

"We will have to respond. Magneto certainly will when he finds out," Logan warns with some foreboding.

"I am aware but there are no easy responses. Please, Logan, I'm tried. We will debate this, I promise."

Logan accepts that. He has some thinking to do on his own. Mostly it will involve how to do unpleasant things to that Luthor boy for carrying on his father's work.

* * *

That evening the X-Men plus Clark gather down in the Danger Room. Clark since of his particular connection to all this and to Lex. The Professor didn't want more than that because it can get quite unruly. This is too important for that.

The meeting is brought to order and the Professor lays out the basic facts of what had been found out about what Lex is doing.

"The question is how do we respond to this," the Professor puts it simply.

"Find Luthor and beat him up?" Rogue proposes and it's impossible to tell whether she is joking or not.

"Find wherever he is developing this technology and trash it," Dom proposes, her tone laced with anger and pain caused by her memory of this technology in Stryker's hands. That gets a few murmurs of agreement.

Charles smiles painfully thin. "We could do that but it does not solve the problems we are facing."

"What problems?" Scott asks.

"First off, this technology exists. Stryker has it and we don't know where he is. The Hellfire Club has it. Domino's proposal is about trying to put the genie back in the bottle but we are way past that point already. We could slow Lex down but what would that achieve in the end?"

"Zhat's a good point," Kurt has to say.

"We can't undo this technology's creation. However we are still in a position to determine who publicly controls it."

"What do you mean, Professor?" Jean asks.

"This technology has never been patented. Legally speaking we could do so and then legally we would control the technology."

"Wouldn't mean anything to Stryker," Dom points out.

"It would mean something for how we are perceived by the government."

"What does that mean?" Evan asks.

"The number one issue of contention I am presented with when I deal with the government is that mutants are not accountable to the law."

"That's rubbish," Scott says.

"Is it?" Clark asks bluntly in a tone that makes everyone look at him.

"Que voulez-vous dire?" the newest member of the X-Men, Marie asks him. What do you mean?

"You were arrested on Friday night along with the Hellions."

"So?" Kitty asks.

Clark looks at her. "So, Kitty, it should be more obvious to you, than most, that if you had not chosen to cooperate you couldn't have been arrested. What jail cell can hold the girl who walks through walls?"

Kitty's eyes dart back and forth. That was an uncomfortable close truth to hit home.

Sean works it out first. "Ye want t' give this technology t' th' government, don't ya Charlie?"

"Want? No. Need to...that's going to be what we are here to discuss."

"Ya can't do that!" Logan barks.

Jonathan's remarkably calm tones speak up. "How does a society function? It functions because we have laws and when those laws are broken it is the fact you can be held to account that keeps order. Without enforceable laws you have anarchy."

"Jonathan speaks truly," Ororo is forced to agree.

Logan looks at her with a glare. She meets it in turn. One of the few people capable of staring him down.

"With all our power it is more important we can be held to account," Clark repeats a theme that has been peculating around his life this last few days. "May I point out that was why we developed those weapons to stop me."

That gets a few murmurs of agreement.

"Yeah and ah told ya how stupid an idea that was," Rogue reminds him, slight bitterness in her tone because it was part of their break-up. "Ya give tha government that technology we might as well march ourselves inta camps," she strongly gives her view.

That gets a few murmurs of agreement as well.

"I zhink you are being over pessimistic mein sister," Kurt feels he needs to argue.

Rogue snorts. "No. Ah think ah'm being perfectly realistic, bro."

"Laws do have to be enforced, Rogue," Jean points out.

"Wow the teacher's pet agreeing. Big shocker," Evan mocks sarcastically.

"Take that back," Scott snaps in defence of his girlfriend.

"Make me!"

That starts off a whole series of flung back and forth disparagingly names and remarks.

Martha watches on and you can see the dividing lines starting to form amongst the group.

This was what Charles was afraid of. If it can split his students it will only further split mutantkind. The chances of uniting together might be dashed to pieces on the rocks without any hope of ever putting it back together.

"Enough!" Storm's stern tones crack, literally with a crack of thunder, around the room. "We will have a debate. Not a slanging match. Am I clear?"

Everyone shuts up.

Scott looks on. This was bad. Unfortunately he could see both arguments were perfectly valid. There were some in the government who would love to just shove them into camps and they were contemplating handing over the means to do so willingly. Yet the other side was accurate. Laws had to be enforced. Mutants are not normal people. Metal bars and concrete walls can't hold them unless you suppress their powers.

"I believe people are basically good," Clark says sombrely. "But I've seen the evils they do. We've all seen that there are mutants who think their power is simply there to bend the world round to their will but it doesn't work like that. Humanity is a collective. Laws are for everyone and even if Rogue's point is valid it doesn't take into account the basic truth. This technology is coming. Live in denial if you wish but it doesn't change that fact. You can fight it, try and destroy it or you can accept the truth and realise that the Professor said it at the start. The only question left is who controls it."

There is silence for awhile before Kitty speaks up. "Do we have this technology to control?" she asks a very fundamental question.

Hank, who has been very silent during this due to not having an opinion just yet one way or the other, answers. "I have a couple of prototypes if we wish a demonstration."

"Please, do so, Mr McCoy," Scott requests. "Unless anyone has an objection?" he asks, looking particularly at Rogue.

Rogue shrugs. "We are all here. Might as well," she says sullenly.

"Please, Hank, proceed," the Professor permits of him.

"I'll need a couple of volunteers," Hank asks for.

Rogue, surprisingly, steps forward. "Use meh. Lets see if this collar can shut down mah new powers," she says it, almost like a challenge.

"As you wish," Hank says, a little surprised at her volunteering.

"I'll volunteer," Scott also steps forward.

"That's fine. I'll use you in a moment, Scott," Hank says as he picks up his version of the power inhibiting collar.

Rogue lets him put it around her neck. "Take a good look at the future," she says with a nasty smirk.

It is then everyone gets why she volunteered. She wanted them to see what it is she thinks they're doing.

Clark shakes his head at her. He has no idea what has caused this in her.

Hank freezes momentarily.

"Continue, Hank," Charles says, not letting Rogue stop this.

Hank fastens it and turns it on. "Give it a few moments while I adjust the EM field. This is its first trial," he explains as he adjusts the settings on it.

"Ah have all tha tahme in tha world, lahke ah will when ah'm lock up in that camp," she says snidely.

"Oh give it a rest, Rogue!" Kitty of all people snaps at Rogue's attitude.

Rogue rolls her eyes defiantly.

"Done," Hank says.

Rogue is still wearing gloves to be on the safe side despite her apparent control over her power. She pulls one off. "Who wants to volunteer?"

"I will," Hank says and takes her hand. "Absorb me," he tells her.

Rogue concentrates...and concentrates and concentrates and nothing. "Congratulations Dr McCoy," he says with her not so deft sarcasm. "It works."

Hank releases her hand.

Rogue then wonders about her strength. That wasn't from her x-gene was it. She has an idea how to test that. She idly wanders over to Clark and then suddenly tries to pick him up and throw him...which she can't. She can't even budge him. "Hey! Mah strength is gone!" she complains.

"Over course it is," Charles says dryly. "Your x-gene created the organs. They're linked. Shut the x-gene down and the organs shut down."

Rogue huffs. "Well then ah guess slavery here ah come!"

"Oh seriously, what has gotten you so grumpy today?" Clark asks her, having had enough.

"Ah just don't lahke tha idea of walking into slavery."

"Cut the crap Rogue. You don't believe that is what will happen. You're cynical and sarcastic but you do believe in what the X-Men stand for."

"Do ah? Maybe ah'm re-evaluating that position," she suggests her views are changing.

Clark just looks at her with disbelief. Seriously, again, what the hell is wrong with her? Maybe he should ask the Professor or Jean to scan her mind to make sure she isn't under the influence of someone or something.

"Vhat's zhe ozher zhings vith zhe pillars?" Kurt asks, moving the topic on, to the 4 pillars sitting in the Danger Room in a square about six feet apart from each other.

"Scott," Hank addresses him. "Can you step inside the square?"

Scott does as asked and stands in the middle. Hank activates the 4 pillars with a switch on each one. A sort of green energy field springs up between the pillars. Hank makes some last minute checks. "Ok, remove your glasses," Hank instructs Scott.

Scott hesitates for obvious reasons.

"Trust me," Hank asks.

Scott closes his eyes and pulls his glasses off.

"Open your eyes," Hank instructs the young leader of the X-Men.

Scott isn't sure but he cracks one eye open and is surprised by something. He's seeing colours. He fully opens his eyes and blinks to adjust.

There are a few gasps.

Jean wanders over in amazement. "Your eyes," she whispers. "They're so...blue," she remarks at seeing them for the first time since Asteroid M.

Scott looks at Jean in living colour, taking every moment to engrave this into his brain. "You're so...beautiful," he says in hushed tones.

Jean blushes.

"It's a prison cell," Domino describes what it is.

"It's a concentrated space with an inhibition field," Hank properly describes it. "That is the limit of size for 4 pillars. It is like I said previously. It has a short wavelength and can't travel far."

"No, it's a prison cell," Domino continues.

"Yes," Charles relents in conceding that description.

"It could work," Jonathan says. "If we are the ones who give this technology it would show the world that we do respect the law and are serious about living in one world where the laws apply to everyone, equally" he gives what he sees from this.

"That's one view," Charles says in respond. "I'm sure there are others from the people just in this room."

"No kiddin," Evan says, him being one person who has another view.

"We have to be accountable to the law," Scott says. "Ignore everything else. Ignore what you may perceive to be the consequences of this. Does anyone deny that basic fact?" he asks the room.

No-one, not even the strongest objectors so far, deny it.

"This isn't the way," Logan says. "Trust me. You give this sort of technology to people it'll be abused. I've been there," he says, his tone showing the anger of his personal experiences.

"I think, perhaps, everyone should go away and think on it so cooler heads can prevail," Martha steps in. Let time take the heat out of it.

"Fahne by meh," Rogue agrees. "Now, can ah get this dang collar off meh!"

"Can we leave it on?" Clark asks with a cheeky smirk.

A few people chuckle.

Rogue scowls at him.

Hank removes the collar from her before they slowly exit the Danger Room, all except Logan and the Professor.

"Yes, Logan?" Charles inquires wearily.

"I ain't goin to lecture ya Chuck. Not my style. I'll just say that if you go through with giving this to the government there will be a backlash from those who think you're betraying them."

"I am aware Logan. Please don't think I can't see the consequences but also realise there are consequences if we make the other choice. Can you look me in the eye and say definitely that that outcome would be any better for us?"

"No. I can't do that," Logan concedes.

"There are no easy choices here Logan."

Logan will concede that. "Life sucks like that."

"Indeed," Charles agrees readily.

* * *

Afterwards the Professor retires to his study to contemplate the options. After much thinking, which gets him nowhere as he goes round in circles, he ends up phoning and speaking to someone who is, and their opinion is, very important to him.

"I can't win, Lilandra. No matter what choice I make I'll create division and strife."

Lilandra had listened carefully and had not judged as Charles explained his dilemma to her. "Sometimes Charles there are no right or wrong choices. There are merely choices which have both positive and negative outcomes. You have to decide which is the lesser of two evils."

"I understand the sentiments against but I have to edge towards using this technology. If mutants and humans are to live in peace there must be faith in a justice system that applies to both equally."

"You're not wrong," Lilandra agrees with him. "Though if you were to use this technology or more accurately sell this technology then, as a balance, you could use the profits to fund organisations that work for peaceful mutant/human relations. I know a few small ones that have sprung up. They just get overshadowed by the anti-mutant ones, especially that Friends of Humanity lot."

Charles takes a moment. He too knew of these organisations. They were very small and didn't get huge amount of funding. They certainly couldn't compete with the anti-mutant groups. "Perhaps I could set up a fund for them to gain access to," he says speculatively.

"That sounds sensible."

"Assuming I make that choice."

"You know the alternative. Lex, or someone like him, will put this technology out anyway. I can see no positive to that. It'll put you into a position of endorsing it or opposing it which is practically the same situation you are in now. It'll create division. Oppose it and be accused of defending a situation that makes mutants beyond the law. Endorse it and be accused of collaborating with humans against your own kind."

"So I can't win."

"It's not about winning Charles. It's about building a future for us all. Whatever decision you make I'll back you. I'll stand with you if need be when you announce it."

"And risk dividing your own community?"

"Charles, you have to accept that can't be avoided," Lilandra states it bluntly, feeling he is trying to find some impossible perfect solution. There isn't one. He needs to see the harsh truth. She likes Charles fine but she isn't here to mollycoddle him.

"Couldn't let me live in the illusion?" he asks wryly.

"Reality is much better. Especially the one I can provide," she says with just that necessary suggestive edge.

"I'm certain."

"What will you do?"

"Take my time to think on it. It is not a decision to be rushed."

"I understand. I know it's hard for us to see each other, with our commitments but don't be a stranger for I am only a phone call away."

"I will remember that. Thank you for listening to me."

"Any time Charles. Any time."

"Bye Lilandra."

"Goodbye Charles."

Charles ends the phone call. He doesn't get a chance to muse much longer when the gate intercom goes off. He has a feed of it into his study and decides to answer it. "Yes? How may I help you?"

"Professor Xavier?" the voice at the other end queries. A female voice.

"Speaking," he confirms.

"I'm sorry to bother you but I need to talk to you. I'm not sure you remember me but we met a long time ago when I was little. You, um, you knew my father."

"Who was your father?"

"Swann. Virgil Swann. I'm his daughter, Patricia."

* * *

_Author's Note: I've hinted for awhile now that how the law is applied to mutants would be an issue and here we are at a crucial turning point that could split even the students of the Institute apart. Ooh, look, surprise guest ending. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll is still open for anyone who still wishes to vote. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Patricia Swann, why has she shown up at the Institute and what does she want?_


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Charles takes a moment to take in the 21 year old woman with past the shoulder brown hair. When he heard the name, if he was still able to stand, you could have knocked him over with a feather in surprise. He hadn't seen her since she was a little girl. She had grown into a lovely looking young woman. "Ms Swann, welcome to my Institute. Please sit," he requests.

Patricia smiles politely and takes the offered seat. "Patricia, please," she requests she is called.

"First off let me express my condolences for the loss of your father. Virgil was a great man and a good friend who I miss."

"Thank you," Patricia says in return. "And for your letter. It was most kind."

"It was nothing," Charles dismisses any idea his writing of that letter was any effort. "Now what brings you here?" he asks.

"My father left me a video will. One for me personally he left in Bridgette's possession for safe-keeping."

"I'm not certain I understand," Charles says.

Patricia looks him dead in the eyes so he can see how serious she is here. "It told me everything, Professor. About Veritas, about the Traveller and your part in it."

Charles is unable to give a response. He is so caught out all thought has fled his mind.

"I didn't believe it at first. My father had a weird sense of humour," Patricia says with a funny small laugh at the memory. "I really wouldn't put it past him to make the whole thing up but Bridgette showed me all his research, his diary, the message from space. I came here because I need answers and my father can't provide them."

Charles composes himself. Of course she would want answers. He just never imagined Virgil would drop this on his daughter in this fashion so he never considered this situation arising. He really needs to have words with Bridgette on this. "What is it you need to know, Patricia?"

"You know all the way here I was thinking and thinking about it but now I'm here I don't now where to start," Patricia admits the ludicrous situation she is in.

"Take your time," Charles tells her.

Patricia thinks and comes up with, "What was the aim? Of Veritas?"

Charles can answer that. "The Traveller would be a remarkable being. One of great power who could change the world. But he would also be alone on a strange planet with people who would exploit him. Veritas was a collection of people whom would create a safe environment for the Traveller to explore this world, himself and to aid him in achieving his destiny while protecting him from those whose aims were less than altruistic."

"So you invited Lionel Luthor to join?" Patricia seeks an obvious flaw in that.

Charles smiles thinly. "People change. People misjudge. Your father, as great as he was, misjudged Lionel and the Teagues. He thought they would see the Traveller as he would. As the answer to so many questions about existence. Your father had a thirst for knowledge second to none."

"Yeah. That was true," Patricia says with a melancholic smile. That was the one thing he never lost, even after the accident which paralysed him.

"He was wrong. Lionel and the Teagues were only interested in how the Traveller's might could elevate them."

"What happened? Veritas dissolved," Patricia wants to know how it ended.

"The Traveller didn't show. The message got here long before he physically did. I think your father miscalculated the lag in time period which is perfectly understandable when dealing with the concept of faster than light travel, a concept well beyond the human race currently. We all had other concerns to deal with. I had my students and mutant affairs. Lionel and the Teagues had their business empires to run. Your father went into seclusion. After the Queens died in their 'accident' it was clear Veritas had come to its end. We just went in separate directions in the belief, I think, that perhaps the Traveller would never appear. That your father was wrong, which was slightly cruel I know and regret."

"Or a perfectly understandable conclusion given the facts," Patricia understands.

"You're most kind," Charles compliments her with a smile.

"The Traveller did show. My father told me in his message. He's here, I mean living here in this mansion, isn't he?"

It's pointless to deny it. "Yes. He is."

3 simple words but it changes everything Patricia thought she knew. "I came not only for answers Professor, though I hope you will indulge me when I ask more questions but I also came to finish my father's work. It is something I owe to him."

"Which work would this be?"

"To aid the Traveller. My father dedicated the last 18 months of his life to it. Basically, from what Bridgette told me, from the day he met the Traveller for the first time."

"You'll have to forgive me if I say I do not understand," Charles says, very puzzled by what it is Virgil has done.

"You ever heard of Star Labs?"

Charles nods. "It's a research and development company."

"My father owns...owned it. I'm the owner now. My father had spent the last year before his death restructuring it, vetting the employees, getting it ready."

"Ready for what?"

"It's a gift for the Traveller. It's resources are there to help him understand his world and himself...and not just the Traveller. I think my father was thinking of you. It is also there to help the Traveller's allies, the X-Men."

Charles is taken aback by Virgil's generosity. There isn't another term for it. It also suddenly occurs to Charles this could aid in his current problem. "It is strangely fortuitous that you are here, now, Patricia, making such an offer."

"In what way?" Patricia asks, her head cocked to the side, in puzzled curiosity.

Charles tells her all about his current dilemma involving the power inhibition technology.

Patricia's hand rubs her chin as she thinks. She wonders if her father knew this was coming...or at least an issue like this was inevitable at some point. Her father was always thinking way ahead of most other people.

"I haven't made a decision, yet," the Professor mentions. "If I choose to press ahead with releasing the technology I would need resources to perfect it and then manufacture it."

"Well I can certainly have Star Labs do that. As well as the more obvious Star Labs building in Metropolis there is a secret manufacturing facility, mostly to build prototypes safely away from populated areas but now I think on it it has the ability to produce much more on a larger scale. I think my father was thinking that something like this was bound to occur."

"Thank you," Charles says at her kind offer.

"I do have one condition."

"Which is?"

"I want to meet the Traveller. I want to meet Clark Kent."

* * *

Clark was up in his room, lying on his bed, throwing a ball into the air and catching it. He had tried to write his latest blog but found he couldn't concentrate on it as he would have liked. He couldn't even find the energy to have a race with Bart. They tended to have a race a day and it was fun but again not in the mood.

Bart had made some moody comment about Clark being a bore and then gone off to annoy someone else...or flirt with Jubilee again.

Clark would make it up to his friend. He just was in a bind about the present situation. Personally he believed people like them had to be held to account. When they aren't...Clark almost went too far once. It ended with Parasite taking his powers and almost killing him and his friends. It was one of the many examples that prompted him to help build those weapons to stop him.

Clark tosses the ball up and springs to his feet to catch it at the peak of the throw. This is what he was trying to stop doing. Sitting around, brooding and moping.

Better to go out and patrol round Bayville. Then at least he is doing something.

There is a knock on his door. Clark's eyes drop to it, his eyes flashing electric blue as he x-rays through it. It's the Professor and a woman he doesn't know. Clark hops down off his bed and opens the door. "Professor?"

"Clark. Let me do an introduction."

Clark turns his gaze to the woman who is looking at him...no staring at him like...it's almost like that look of awe he got from the Nova Romans.

"This is Dr Swann's daughter, Patricia. She knows everything he knew about you," the Professor explains what as far as he knows is true, hence why he just introduced the alien teen as Clark.

"I see," Clark says flatly. He holds his hand out. "It's very nice to meet you, Ms Swann. I am very sorry about your father. He was a good friend to me."

Patricia takes his hand with her own which is visibly shaking due to the immensity of this moment. She really hadn't been sure what she had expected at this moment but this wasn't it.

He looked so human. His voice was so full of kindness and sympathy. His eyes were soft and caring yet she felt like he was looking right through her, right into her very soul.

Patricia couldn't stop looking at him.

"It's the alien bit, right," Clark said, with an amused half-smile.

"Huh?" Patricia asks, still in her stupor.

"Yeah. It's always that that causes people's brain to freeze up. How can he be an alien when he looks so human? That's what you're asking."

It's like he could read her mind. Can he read her mind? No, no. Her father didn't say anything about telepathic powers. Patricia finds her voice. "Y-You're Kal-El?"

"Let me guess, you were expecting me to be taller," Clark quips.

Charles' head gives an amused shake.

"And more alien-y. If it means anything Kitty would say I am the weirdest person on this planet which is, like totally saying something from the Valley Girl of Deerfield 90210," he mocks Kitty, doing his impression of her.

Patricia's face shows how she doesn't know what to say which is truly a first. She always has something to say. An argument, a debate. When she has a point of view she never stops until she gets people to agree with her.

Charles intervenes, speaking for the young woman whose voice has seemingly deserted her. "Patricia came with a few revelations about her father's work and I'm certain she would like to hear about your interactions with him."

Clark looks at the Professor with an odd but curious expression about what he means. "Of course," he agrees.

* * *

A few hours later Clark was walking Patricia around the Institute grounds discussing this idea that Star labs exists to aid him.

By now, inevitably, everyone knew they had a guest and to varying degrees who she was, what she meant to Clark and what she was here for.

In the sitting room Betsy found herself standing by the window, a deep unhappy look on her face at watching this scene through the gloom and outside lights. She didn't like the way this Patricia was looking at Clark. The woman wouldn't take her eyes off him.

"I vonder vhat zhey're talking about," Kurt says.

Betsy looks up to see Kurt hanging upside down by the curtain rail using his tail, peering out like she is. "Aren't you the one with the big ears?" she asks.

Kurt grins his toothy one. "Amanda zhinks zhey're cute."

"Oh they are," Betsy says. "But don't you have above average hearing?" she asks, which is what she was trying to get at

"Ja," Kurt confirms. "But it's not zhat good," he tells her. "Aren't you zhe telepath?" he asks back.

"Doesn't work on him and I'm not that good working at long distances yet."

"Ah don't lahke her," one disgruntled voice grumbles.

Betsy is so unuse to hearing that voice spoken when she's in the room it takes her a moment to realise it's Rogue who has come to stand behind her.

"Vhy not?" Kurt asks. "She seems perfectly nice to me...and didn't you meet her fazher?" he recalls that happening once.

Rogue did. He revealed her first name to Clark. She doesn't like that idea of people knowing stuff about her and not knowing they know. "He said curiosity was an admirable trait. Personally ah prefer tha one about how it killed tha cat. Ah don't lahke people who snoop and it seems ta meh that's exactly why she's here, ta snoop on Clark."

"And it's not any sort of lingering jealousy that she seems to like your ex?"

Rogue scoffs at that notion. "No. Ah'm totally ovah that and moving on," she claims.

Kurt has seen very little evidence to back up that claim so far.

"I wouldn't worry," Betsy says. "I mean she's only rich, thin and classy. Guys hate those sort of women."

"Was that sarcasm?" Rogue asks.

"Are you actually talking to me?" Betsy asks back with utter surprise.

"I could ask Kurt but he wouldn't know sarcasm if it bite him on tha tail."

"Hey!" Kurt protests.

"Are you talking to me?" Betsy asks again.

"Yes."

"That's a first. I thought you hated me."

"Ah don't hate ya," Rogue says. "Ah just see no reason ta talk ta ya."

"Rogue," Kurt says severely, trying to make her stop before she becomes truly insulting.

"What? Ah don't and besides Betsy, couldn't that description beh used ta describe ya?"

"I'm not thin. I'm perfectly sculpted," Betsy describes herself. "But I am classy," she takes pride in saying that.

"Yeah, a high class escort," Rogue mutters disparagingly. It has not escaped her attention that Betsy seems to have a thing for her ex-boyfriend.

Betsy's head snaps round, her eyes narrowed in anger. She heard that.

So did Kurt. "Ladies, lets be civilised," he asks.

"I'm British, luv. We invented being civilised," Betsy claims.

Rogue makes a scoffing sound.

Betsy refuses to respond.

Rogue peers out the window as Clark and Patricia share a laugh at something. "Ah don't lahke her. She's after something," she thinks.

"I agree," Betsy says.

"Finally, zhey agree on somezhing," Kurt mutters, although this is hardly the thing he would have chosen for Rogue and Betsy to find something in common and break the ice. "Vhat exactly could she be after? Dr Swann just vanted to help Clark. How do you know she isn't exactly zhe same?"

"Dr Swann wanted knowledge. Tha answers to life's mysteries," Rogue corrects her brother. "Trust meh. Ah know. Clark and ah discussed it."

"Zhat's not a bad zhing," Kurt argues.

"Tha point, Kurt, is that he was after something. Everyone is after something. It's tha way people are."

"She's right," Betsy says in agreement. "Even if all you want is world peace that's wanting something."

Kurt pinches the bridge of his nose. "Ok, ok, I get your point. I'll rephrase. I'm sure all she vants is to help."

"Yeah, not buying it," Rogue says.

"Me neither," Betsy says.

Kurt sighs. "Vhy do I bozher," he mutters in defeat as he teleports away in his puff of blue smoke.

Rogue and Betsy cough and wave away the smoke.

"Ah hate it when he does that," Rogue complains.

Betsy coughs hard. "I can see why."

The two girls look at each other.

"Look, Rogue, I know you're uncomfortable around me and I'm not sure I can do anything to fix that but how about we make a deal. We both want to protect Clark, right?" Betsy believes.

"Ya want more than that. Ah'm not blind nor stupid," Rogue says in a tone that tells Betsy to not even attempt to deny it.

"I'm not going to deny it. I find him fascinating and you must have at some point too."

Rogue can't deny that.

"But we want to protect him. You still think of him as your friend, right?"

"Yeah. Clark's nice but he can beh a little too naïve and trusting of people. Ya know, seeing tha good in them even when it really isn't there."

"He should try reading their minds sometime. He would soon think differently," Betsy says somewhat cynically, showing at some point she got burned somewhere along the line by someone.

"So what? We work together ta find out what this Swann gal is really after?"

Betsy shrugs. "Why not? We don't have to like each other. As long as you agree Clark's fair game."

"He can date who he wants but don't beh surprised if Ah bad-mouth ya ta him."

"So just like a normal ex then?" Betsy quips.

Rogue's lips quirk slightly before she catches herself. "So do ya have a plan what to do with little miss thin and classy out there?"

"Did you know I'm a twin?"

Rogue isn't sure how that's relevant. "No."

"Well I am. I'm the evil twin so the answer to your question is that I've always got a scheming plan."

* * *

Patricia was still having a hard time comprehending what Clark represented. He was so normal. He was kind and gentle and funny. She had picked that up from him quickly. He was also so courteous. When he made her some coffee she had given him a pretty weirded out look like she couldn't believe this being, who had travelled millions of light years across the stars, who was potentially the most powerful being on this planet, would do something so simple like make her coffee.

When he caught her look she actually said this. His retort was a goofy smile and a joke that she must have wanted tea instead.

After meeting his parents she could begin to see where he got it from.

Patricia could have convinced herself he was human, maybe even a mutant but he had been given her a tour of the lower levels of the mansion and somehow she talked him into a demonstration of the Danger Room. There was just something about the way he ran through the programme. Maybe it was the shooting lasers from his eyes or freezing things with his breath or moving so fast she couldn't follow him or lifting this impossible weight as easy as she would lift that cup of coffee. Whatever it was she now couldn't deny he was what her father told her he was.

Patricia doesn't think she has stopped staring at him since she first met him and yet, even now, she can't make herself stop.

Now they were walking the grounds on this chilly night that he shrugged off as easily as if it was a balmy spring day. He only wore his red jacket because that's what people do. It was camouflage. He had learned to blend in well.

Patricia listened to him as he spoke of his last contacts with her father. "I only had his video message but I think he thought the world of you."

"I'm not sure that's true," Clark says, a little uncomfortable at that idea that he could hold such importance to anyone.

Patricia has to argue with him. She tends to argue a lot with people until they see her point of view. "This last 18 months he has been more animated than I had seen him since before the accident. I know it's hard to believe but he was such a vigorous man. So full of life. Rock climbing, horse riding, hang-gliding then he had his fall and he shrank into himself. Dedicated himself to his communications. The man who couldn't reach out to another person. reaching out in another fashion, bringing people together, even people separated by the vastness of space it seems."

As she speaks those words Patricia could see the inflexion in his face. Like he carried some vast burden no-one could possibly imagine.

"I want to do what my father wished me to do. To help you."

His brow furrows and Patricia can almost see his mind toss over the possibilities and outcomes. In case he refuses, for whatever reason, she already had her arguments worked out. That she has knowledge of Veritas and her father's work that Professor Xavier didn't. That beyond Lionel there was the danger of the last surviving Teague family member; Edward. That you can never have enough allies looking out for you to protect you from those that will try and exploit you.

His eyes focus on her intently and she gets that feeling he's looking into her soul again. His eyes can convey a great intelligence. "Are you sure? It's not always safe."

Patricia takes a fortifying breath. "I'm sure. This is important."

Clark shoves his hands in his pockets. "I try my best to protect people. I don't desire to put anyone in harm's way for me but I feel my path will not always be the same as the X-Men. One day I will step away from the safety of these walls and live a life of my own. It would be foolish to turn down an offer of help but I do have a request."

"Name it."

"Star Labs can't just be for me or the X-Men. There are many people, superpowered and not who could benefit. Just promise me the benefits will be shared with the whole world."

Patricia can't help but smile at his thoughtfulness, of thinking of everyone else. "That can be arranged."

* * *

A short time later Patricia prepares to depart. The Professor is saying his farewells. "It was very nice to see you again Patricia. Your father...it was clear you were the centre of his world."

Patricia smiles gratefully at that. A lot of her father's work was kept secret from her. She could be angry at him. In fact she was a little at first but Bridgette had managed to assuage her anger and make her understand the necessity of the secrecy.

Still it would have been...preferable to have heard it from her father's own lips but Patricia has decided there is no point in dwelling on it. She has too much to do to continue her father's work.

"It was very nice seeing you again Professor...although I'm afraid I can't really remember you much," she has to apology.

Charles lets it pass. "Perfectly understandable. You were very young...and tended to prefer to run about without any clothes on," he teases.

Patricia blushes. "Ok, before I get any more embarrassed I'll leave."

Charles laughs lightly.

"When you make a decision over the inhibition technology, you'll let me know?"

Charles nods. "I shall. Thank you for you help."

"It's what my father would have done," is her response to that. Patricia then turns her attention to saying goodbye to Clark who had changed to go out patrolling. Of course it was rather obvious he was Superman. In fact her father mentioned that on his video message. However that doesn't do anything to detract from how impressive he looks when you stand in his presence. He just seems bigger, taller, larger than life almost.

Clark steps forward and gives her a friendly, slightly awkward hug because she wasn't expecting it. "It was very nice to meet you," he says before stepping back.

"Yeah, you too," Patricia replies, a touch of reverence in her tone.

"Dr Swann and I exchanged many email messages. Please feel free to do the same if you wish to talk to me," Clark offers.

Patricia smiles brightly. "Thank you. I will and if you do need anything, contact me. My offer to help was genuine."

"I shall. Thank you. Have a safe drive, Patricia."

"Goodbye," she says, before stepping into her car and leaving.

Once she's gone the Professor turns and re-enters the mansion while Volcana lands next to her brother.

"You know she's just wanting to get into your pants, right?" Claire makes her observational comment.

Clark groans. "Must you? Really?" he complains at that being her first remarks. "And no, she wasn't."

"Yeah. She was. I think she swooned at least twice in your presence," Claire argues with him.

Clark sighs. "It was a bit like the way the Nova Romans looked at me, actually. You know that awe and reverence of me being something..."

"Divine?" Claire offers.

"Yeah. I hate that but I do believe she genuinely desires to help. Considering everything we need all the friends we can get."

"Can't argue with you there," Claire says and notes that her brother made what could be considered a very mature decision in accepting help instead of trying to do things on his own.

"So shall we?" he requests they just go.

"Sure," Claire says as she rises into the air and Clark runs off across the grounds. "I have to ask," she says as she flies above him. "What are you thinking about this inhibition technology stuff?"

"I think you don't need me to answer that. You know how I feel. People like us must be held to account."

"Yeah. I kinda figured that was your view," she says in rather cold tones.

Clark leaps over the wall and lands in a crouch the other side. "Claire. I get why you might feel different after what Stryker did to you. You know I would never judge you."

Claire's face pinches slightly. "It's going to cause trouble, you know."

"I know," Clark accepts her point as he breaks into a run again.

"Magneto will freak."

"I know...but hey if it brings him out of hiding I can give him that concussion I promised to."

"Look on the positive. I like your thinking!" Claire approves.

Clark shakes his head and snorts out a laugh. Only Claire would say something like that.

* * *

**Denver, Colorado...**

A lovely woman with auburn red hair turns the key to enter her apartment. She is a woman who has flittered from one thing to the next without much focus in her life. Maybe it's a lingering effect of being brought up in that orphanage that she just can't find that focus in her life.

Or maybe it is the fact that after discovering who her father actually was she keeps finding that what she is doing just somehow isn't enough to live up to the family name she doesn't have attached to her own.

The woman enters her apartment still in darkness and hits the light switch.

Nothing.

She audibly groans at what she assumes is the fact the bulb's gone. That means trying to replace it in the dark.

"It's not the bulb."

The woman gasps and reaches into her pocket for something.

"That's unnecessary," the voice says and into existence, in the middle of the room, comes flickering a holographic image of a man...of Lionel Luthor. "It's the latest in holographic communication technology," he explains.

The woman's green eyes narrow. "What do you want?" she demands to know, in cold harsh tones, just making the assumption he can at least hear her if probably see her as well.

"Your help."

The woman laughs a cold hollow laugh. "Ha!" she mocks. "After all these years of denying I exist, now you want my help?" she asks utterly sceptical of that concept.

"I have made mistakes. I don't deny it. However, things change. My eyes have been opened. I am sorry for what never happened between us. It is not too late to rectify that. Is not too late to be part of a world transforming enterprise I am embarking on."

"I wonder what Lex would say."

"About what? The fact you exist?"

"The fact you cheated on his mother, your wife, with mine."

"Don't be naïve" Lionel slightly tells her off. "He knows all about you and yet has he sought you out as I am doing right now?"

"No," she grudgingly concedes.

"No," Lionel repeats for emphasis to drive it home to her that point. "I am being honest here. I made a mistake before not taking you into my family. I realise that now. I can't change the past but I can choose what sort of future we have. I want to us to be a family once again. Lex has chosen to forsake me. You are all I have left...and I am all you have."

"That's completely pathetic now, isn't it?"

"Hardly," Lionel dismisses that description. "Family is everything. The human race is simply one extended family. Dysfunctional, yes but a family. I'm going to help bring it together. My methods are radical I confess. Now for that some call me a traitor. It's why I can't be there in person no matter how much I wish to be. Lex has chosen his path of loneliness. What about you? What's your choice? Do you want to continue as you are? Or help me in achieving something great? I know it's the latter."

The woman arches an eyebrow. "Oh, and how do you know that?"

"Because you're a Luthor. You're my daughter. So what say you? Will you help me, Lutessa?"

Lutessa Lena Mercer/Luthor peers intently into the holographic face of her father, trying to discern whether or not he is being genuine. After all these years of denying her existence his coming to her now, seeking to mend their family ties, seems out of the blue. What is he after? She's not going to figure it out by talking to this projection. "I have one request."

"Name it."

"I want us to meet in person."

Lionel smiles with a certain gentility. "I can arrange that, in time. However if you agree to help I need you to do something in the United States first."

Tess, as she prefers to go by, thinks carefully. She has been searching. Searching for her purpose. Is this it? Is this her chance to find it? She makes her choice...for the moment at least. "I'm in...dad."

Lionel smiles broadly and says with fatherly pride, "That's my girl!"

* * *

_Author's Note: Patricia Swann, another one of those interesting but all too brief guest stars on the show. Lets see if she can last a bit longer in my story as she tries to carry on her father's work. And talking of daughters and their fathers I thought it a good moment to bring in Lionel's, the ever awesome Tess Mercer. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; superpowered dogs, villains and a person from the past for Clark._


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

**Metropolis...**

Clark and Chloe are laughing their asses off at the sight of Andrea being pinned to her couch by a golden retriever licking the brunette woman to death.

"I think he likes you," Clark heaves between guffaws.

At Andrea's face as she tries to fend the overly affectionate canine off Chloe falls off the seat she is on and rolls on the floor.

"You're...pfft...not...plft...helping...eugh," Andrea complains at her two so-called friends. She easily could get the dog off of her but she's afraid of hurting him which wouldn't be right after he saved her life.

"You seem to have the situation well in hand," Clark jokes as he tries so very hard not to join Chloe on the floor. This whole thing started a couple of days ago when Lois hit a dog with her car. Yeah, Clark had made many, many snarky remarks about it and Lois' lack of driving skills...and more generally just her lack of skill at...everything.

Anyway normally that wouldn't be much more than a passing incident Chloe tells him about except the part that after she and Lois had taken the dog in, later that very same day the dog showed a burst of superstrength and speed. His first response was that if she needed superpowered help Andrea was closer than he was. It wasn't that he wouldn't help but he has responsibilities in Bayville. Especially lately. New supervillain, calls himself Moon Man.

No really.

He actually called himself that...and don't get Clark started on the ridiculousness of the costume he wore. Clark means the goggles and the green hood over his head with a crescent moon on the forehead were ridiculous enough. But the pea soup green top with a yellow moon on the chest and yellow cape and tights with what, frankly looked like green underwear on top was taking the biscuit. Seriously who wears their underwear on the outside of their clothes?

And frankly, trying not to be rude here, Clark thinks the guy's insane. Claimed he went to the moon and it chose him to bear its power here on Earth to prevent mankind pillaging it as they pillage Earth...and for some reason he has to start this crusade in Bayville of all places.

Nope Clark is lost as well. It adds weight to the insane claim. Anyway Clark has to sadly and humiliating report it's currently 2-0 to Moon Man. He generates some sort of strange energy that affects Clark's powers. And the energy blasts aren't much fun either. Just ask Claire. For the first time in her life she now knows what a burn feels like. She got a burnt, borrowing a little bit of Yiddish here, tuchus.

She's been complaining...whining a lot about that. It's why Claire isn't here with him. She's back at the mansion resting up, doctor's orders.

In the end Clark realised he needed to come when Chloe informed him that they had been able to feel the fact there was a mysterious tag under the dog's skin and that she needed the guy with x-ray vision to identify what the heck it was. If need be he can get back to Bayville in half an hour and you know there's always the X-Men, though lately he has been trying not to drag them into his problems if he can avoid it. They have their own problems dealing with mutants around the country, around the world.

Anyway back to the dog. Clark had x-rayed it and found that the tag had a Luthorcorp logo on it. Some further prying had led himself, Andrea, Chloe and Lois too to discover it was part of Lionel's old Level 3 experiments. The dog was one of many that were test subjects. The golden retriever that was keeping them company right now was the last of 2 that were still alive. It was something Clark was familiar with. Using kryptonite to gain superpowers. It was like that gang Clark tackled when he was 14. He had his suspicions back then they were being conveniently fed information about where to steal the rock from. The dogs may have well been the prelude to that.

The next obvious question was where did the dog suddenly come from for Lois to hit it. If it was a Luthorcorp experiment that meant now it had to be either owned by Lex or the bits Lex didn't buy the government are still in the process of liquidating, therefore the government owns it.

Further investigation had led to the discovery that the superpowered dogs had been 'stolen' and were now in turn being used to steal...from Lex. Steal what precisely they never did manage to discover.

The assumption was that the dog escaped from those that stole it and that was when Lois hit the poor creature. Poor, poor dog being stuck in Lois' company for hours on end. On the bright side it turns out Lois is allergic to dog hair and has been sneezing and suffering every time she's in the canine's company. Clark always gets a little smile as he thinks on her suffering...and no, it's not because he is a sadist. There's just something about Lois that irritates him no end so forgive him if he takes a little perverse pleasure in seeing her suffer just a small amount.

Back to the story.

The men involved came back for the dog when he and Andrea were busy investigating a lead. Lois and Chloe got a trip to the hospital. They were alright. It was minor but Clark was pissed about it. See he doesn't want to see Lois hurt really.

At least Chloe managed to get the number plate of the van. It gave them a lead to follow and eventually they managed to track the van down as the men were breaking into another Lexcorp property.

Clark can't explain exactly what happened next only there was an explosion and kryptonite was involved.

Of course kryptonite was involved. Clark can never seem to get away from the stuff. Lex must have been researching the rock is what Clark comes up with as to why the rock was there.

Anyway Clark got to experience it's _lovely_ effects again. It is why he sits here, his costume torn and tattered(he'll need to look out the spare one when he gets home) and a few not quite yet healed cuts and bruises on his person. He's lucky he supposes. It could have been a lot worse for him.

At the end of the day it was the dog that currently keeps them company that saved him and Andrea by dragging them both out the burning building. Clark's theory is all the kryptonite present triggered the dog's superpowers and that is how their furry friend managed to do it.

Andrea, by now, has finally managed to get the dog off of her. Today she discovered a few things. One; kryptonite enhances explosions, making them more powerful and two; it is possible with enough force to knock her out.

It was when she came round outside with the dog licking her face she figured out what happened. The dog that is now sitting on her lap. He saved her. She scratches him behind his ears.

"So you guys alright?" Chloe asks the two of them.

"I'll live," Clark replies, not feeling fantastic but he'll get better.

"Me too," Andrea says, feeling just about the same as Clark. She too has a few cuts and bruises...and it's been awhile since she last had those. It was curious to feel pain again after not feeling even the slightest twinge for months.

"Do we have any idea what this was all about?" Chloe asks the question that is eating at her. Why were these guys stealing from Lex? What were they stealing? Why were they using these dogs? Where did they find the dogs? How did they know about them? Her questions just keep on multiplying.

"Only that stealing from Lex seems to be a theme lately," Clark remarks.

Andrea picks up on what she thinks he is implying. "You think Lionel Luthor was behind this?" she asks him.

Clark shrugs. "How else would these guys know about the dogs?" he asks the pertinent question.

"That's a point," Chloe concedes. "But it all seemed rather random, didn't it. They robbed Lexcorp properties that had nothing in common except Lex owns them."

"Maybe they didn't know where it was whatever they were looking for," Andrea suggests.

"If it was Lionel, then this looks like the start of something. Bart, these guys, all those other armed men you fought when saving Bart," Chloe picks up on a disturbing theme.

"Any luck tracing where he is?" Clark asks since Chloe was helping with that.

Chloe shakes her head. "I did try to follow back that audio/visual feed from the warehouse but whoever is helping Lionel must be a genius. It was bounced all over the place. Satellites, ground installations, at least a hundred dead-ends. He's too well hidden."

Well that's annoying.

"So what are going to call our friend here?" Chloe asks, nodding in the dog's direction. "Lois' suggestion is Clarky," she says with a snigger.

"Clarky? Why?" Clark asks since it seems a little odd to name the dog after him when Lois doesn't like him.

Chloe tries to keep a straight face...and fails. "Because he's totally annoying and she can't get within 10 feet of him without feeling ill," she chortles.

Clark cocks his head to the side and just looks utterly unamused.

Andrea is a little puzzled. Lois got on fine with Clark...well Superman. "I don't understand."

"Clark and Lois don't get on," Chloe explains.

"Correction I would get on just fine with her if she wasn't so damn irritating," Clark points out.

"But you...when you're Superman...you didn't argue once," Andrea points out.

"I choose not to respond to her," Clark explains that. "It would be too much of a give-away if I did. Even Lois isn't that blind."

"And she is nicer to you when you're Superman but you did save her life during the Hurricane Lucy incident," Chloe adds.

"Why can't she be nicer all the time?" Clark asks.

"She's Lois," Chloe says as if that explains it. "So name?" she returns to that.

"How about Skippy?" Andrea suggests.

"Are you trying to give him a complex," Chloe snarks.

Clark thinks. "How about Krypto?" he suggests. It gets him a couple of strange looks. "Because you know, like cryptic, because he's a mystery," he explains and not because of the fact the dog's power came from kryptonite. That would involve him having to tell Andrea about himself as to explain the name and he isn't ready for that.

"That's not even worthy of a response," Chloe says.

Clark rolls his eyes and thinks. An idea occurs to him. "Mom mentioned once that she use to have a dog called Shelby."

"Shelby?" Andrea queries and as she says it the golden retriever's head pops up.

"I think he likes it," Clark comments.

Andrea looks down at the dog. "Do you boy? Do you like Shelby?"

The dog wags his tail.

"Seems he does," Chloe observes.

Andrea's lips curl up into a small smile at how happy the dog seems. He was kind of an adorable dog. The other dog had ran off during the fire and they didn't know where that one was now. "I guess Shelby it is then," she decrees and no-one objects. "So what do we do with him, now?" she asks.

"Well he seems to like you, Andi," Clark makes the hint.

"Me? I can't look after a dog," she insists. "I don't have the time. He needs somewhere with open spaces," she argues and looks at Chloe who has lots of open space around her house.

"Don't look at me," Chloe says back. "Lois has her allergies."

"You should take him Chlo," Clark says with deadly seriousness.

Chloe rolls her eyes. "You just want to see Lois suffer."

"Me?" Clark asks, pointing at himself, his expression as if he can't believe Chloe is saying that. "I'm offended, affronted, insulted, vexed, upset..."

"Ok, ok. We get it. You're a walking thesaurus," Chloe stops him. "But really Clark what about you?"

"I would not inflict the mansion on him. I'd be arrested for cruelty to animals," he jokes.

"Clark," Chloe laughs with a shake of her head.

"Alright. I can see you point," he accepts. "Still I'm not sure how Lockheed will take it."

"Whose Lockheed?" Andrea asks.

"Did I never mention him?" Clark asks, in real surprise. Surely he mentioned Lockheed at some point.

Andrea shakes her head.

"He's Kitty's pet...dragon."

"Ok I must have misheard you there," Andrea thinks. "Cause that sounded like you said pet dragon."

"I did," Clark confirms.

"He's telling the truth Andrea," Chloe backs Clark up. "I've met him. He's a tiny purple dragon. He's oddly cute."

"Who? Lockheed...or Bobby?" Clark smirks.

Chloe blushes before fixing him a glare and a scowl. She and Bobby didn't see a huge amount of each other but she still likes him.

Andrea does find the way Clark and Chloe banter funny. Although she may need some more proof before she blindly accepts the fact dragons are real. "The dog, Clark," she gets back to that.

"Fine. I'll take him home for a trial and see how that goes. Ok?"

Andrea accepts his answer. She raises another topic Clark has mentioned to her. "Has the Professor made a decision yet on these power inhibitors?"

"No," Clark answers. It's been a week since that day and the Professor was still deliberating on it.

"Still causing strife?" Chloe wonders about the students at the Institute.

"Everyone has an opinion but it's basically two camps. One who thinks it is a necessity to ensure the law is applicable to all, mutant and human alike and the other who thinks this is basically giving away the means to mutant enslavement."

"Ouch. Must be making things tense," Chloe guesses.

"A little bit, yeah."

Andrea pats the newly named Shelby's head. "Well I did say to Bart how the laws apply more to us than everyone else so I guess I support the idea it is necessary to have the law enforcement agencies able to deal with people like us. Although I can see the sudden discomfort to once again realise you can be constrained. Then again it is a nice reminder of what it is to be human."

"You do realise you contradicted yourself at least twice there," Clark comments.

"I'm a complex woman."

"Let me guess. You're like an onion."

Chloe snorts with laughter.

"What?" Andrea asks.

"That you have layers. You know onions have layers...you have layers..." At her confused expression he can guess the following. "You've never seen Shrek, have you?"

"No."

"Your education is sorely lacking."

Andrea just gives him a look.

Clark meets her look with a trademark Kent goofy grin.

Her expression melts...eventually because of him.

"So...Moon Man, eh?" Chloe says with at least a hundred snarky comments on stand-by.

"Every joke's been done, I promise you," Clark tries to head it off. He thinks Bart, Bobby, the rest of the joker pack have done them all. Even Peter threw in his few...which is saying something for the guy with some of the lamest villains ever. Kitty's words, not Clark's.

"How about..."

"Heard it."

"Ok so..."

"Bart, Bobby, Tabby all did that one."

"Then..."

"I came up with that one."

"Stop interrupting me!" Chloe shouts at him. "You don't what I'm away to say."

"Yes, I do. We're best friends. I know exactly what is about to come from your lips."

Chloe folds her arms across her chest and scowls at him.

Clark grins unabashed. It's always fun to annoy her.

Andrea decides to focus on the more serious issue. "So how does he affect your powers?"

"I don't know. I just feel...weak around him. It's not sick like the green rock. It's not like...well anything I've felt before," Clark struggles to give an explanation. "Well except just being powerless," he amends slightly.

"Do you know anything about him?" Andrea asks.

"Nope. He appears, he vanishes, don't see him for days. I've only seen him twice in a week but I can't explain why he chose the nights he did."

"It was only at night?" Chloe asks.

Clark nods.

"Well he does call himself Moon Man. Maybe it's related to the moon," Chloe suggests.

"I did think of that Chlo," Clark points out. "If he follows the cycles of the moon, the New Moon isn't until next week."

"Think harder. Think of those two nights you met him and the nights you didn't and try and see what's different. Think of the sky," she suggests.

Clark closes his eyes and uses his eidetic memory to recall the sky. His brow furrows as she spots something. "The two nights we met were clear while the nights we didn't were cloudy."

"When the moon wasn't visible he didn't appear," Andrea surmises.

Clark's eyes snap open. "Maybe his power is literally tied in to the moon. When it's not there he's powerless."

"Like Byron and the sun," Chloe points out in reference to one of the meteor mutants currently residing in Smallville.

Clark nods, seeing the similarity she is getting at.

"Byron?" Andrea inquires.

"A meteor mutant. He can't be out in direct sunlight because it transforms him into this superstrong creature. Like a reverse werewolf where it's the sun instead of the moon," Clark explains it.

"Ok, I guess I lucked out in the power department," Andrea remarks, truly for the 1st time thinking how lucky she is to not have been inflicted with something like that.

"You would have been brilliant regardless," Clark compliments her.

"Thank you," Andrea says with a smile. He's always so nice and courteous.

Clark shrugs, trying not to make a big deal of it. In his head he simply speaks the truth.

Chloe returns to Moon Man. "Well now you know how he gets his power you can deal with it right?"

"Yeah. It's actually really simple. I just ask Storm to make it a clear night, wait for him to show up and have Storm cloud the sky over. If we're right that should depower him right there and then."

"And you catch him, badda bing, badda boom."

Clark gives Chloe a queer look. "Have you been speaking to Tabby lately?" he asks at where she got that from.

"For awhile. I was trying to get Bobby on the phone and she answered," Chloe explains it.

Clark shakes his head. He still doesn't get Chloe's interest in the ice-generating prankster. "I should be getting you home," he proposes.

"Yeah. You probably should before Lois uses her contacts to send the army after me," Chloe agrees. She says her farewells to Andrea and exits the door, leaving behind Clark and Andrea who were so obviously still in to each other. She had seen plenty of it but they were constantly restraining themselves from giving in for whatever reasons they have made up to convince themselves that is the right course.

"Can I ask a favour?" Clark asks of Andrea.

"Certainly," Andrea says.

"After I drop Chloe off I have something...personal to take care of. Can you look after Shelby tonight and I'll pick him up first thing in the morning?"

"Sure," Andrea says. She can't see an objection although she would like to know what this personal thing Clark has is. There is a lot he doesn't say. Andrea can pick up his evasiveness on topics but had not pressed. It didn't seem right to press when he never presses her. He's just there to listen to her and she'll be just there to listen to him when he's ready.

Clark gives her a small smile. He takes a step to leave, only to turn back, cup Andrea's cheek and kiss her deeply.

Andrea returns the kiss but when it is over she looks at him suitably stunned at the suddenness of it. "What...?"

"I was worried, after the explosion, that you were hurt," he says, his voice convey clearly his concern as his thumb gently caresses her cheek. Clark had almost flown into a panic.

Andrea smiles, touched by his concern. "I'm the one who should be concerned. After all it involved a rock poisonous to you," she points out and as she speaks her fingers reach up and trace a faint cut on his cheek that hasn't quite faded away yet.

"I'd be lying if I said I felt terrific. I don't. Still slightly sick actually but I've endured much worse."

"You'll have to tell me sometime."

"Sure," he promises without giving any sort of time frame. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Safe trip," she wishes him.

"Bye, Andi."

"Bye, Clark."

With that Clark leaves, picks up Chloe and zooms to Smallville.

Andrea turns to look at Shelby sitting on the couch, ears perked, looking at her with an adorable goofy expression. "So what do you want for dinner?"

* * *

As Clark drops her off outside her house Chloe just has to remark, "Man, you're really handy. You save me a fortune on gas."

Clark rolls his eyes. "Only you would see me as money saving instrument, Chlo. I think I'm letting you exploit our friendship," he snarks.

"Hmm, hmm. Sure, Clark," Chloe says lightly. "I have to ask why were you trying to drop the dog on Andrea...and don't bother denying it Clark. I can see right through you."

Clark bites back a snarky comeback on how she never figured out he was an alien until he told her and says, "I just figured she might be lonely. She has no family, or at least close family and she made a comment to me that she let many of her friendships wither because of her obsession over her mother's death."

Chloe nods. She can see why Clark would try to do what he did.

Clark gazes at Chloe's house. The lights are on. Lois must be home. They did have to drop her so he, Andrea and Chloe could have a frank talk in private, the one they just had in Andrea's apartment. "I have to ask, how is Lois getting on with her spaceship and aliens investigation," he wonders, still a little concerned at what Lois will get herself into and what she'll discover.

"As I predicted, nowhere. They've buried it. For now I'm just trying to get her to focus on the fact that if she really wants to be a journalist she needs to go back to uni or go to a college and get the necessary degrees."

"Will they take her back after...how she got kicked out?"

"You mean because she slept with her tutor," Chloe phrases it more directly as it was.

"Yeah, that."

"Lois isn't stupid, Clark," Chloe makes the point, referring to the fact Lois, in intelligence terms, actually is very smart and therefore ignoring what she did with her tutor she has the brains to get back into education.

"I could argue that."

"You know what I mean."

"Ok. Yes, I do," Clark concedes.

"She's just lacked focus before but ever since the meteor shower I've never seen her more focussed in her life. She is determined in what she wants to do. Despite her past misdemeanours I'm certain an institution somewhere will take her in. If all else fails she'll badger them into submission."

"That I believe," Clark agrees a little too readily about that last bit. "If she wants them to contemplate suicide she could tell them her Lucy stories. Rao knows I've heard plenty of them," he complains vigorously.

Chloe eyes him carefully. "So what are you away to do now?"

"Go up to the Fortress. Might as well take advantage of being here and since it's cloudy again tonight I can plan tomorrow how to catch Moon Man."

"One day you will have to let me see this Fortress, Clark," Chloe pleads with a pouty face. The greatest thing ever and she has never seen it.

"One day," is all Clark vaguely promises. "Stay safe, Chlo," he requests of her and then is gone with his usual gust of wind.

* * *

**Kawatche Caves...**

Clark comes out of superspeed and enters the cave when to his surprise he finds a figure inside. An elderly native American. One he knows. Professor Joseph Willowbrook, Kyla's grandfather, who Clark, at first, mistakenly thought was a Skinwalker when it was Kyla all along. Yeah, that might have been his hormones blinding him to that one.

Kyla was...she was beautiful. It still saddens him greatly he failed to save her...from herself mostly. To stop her from thinking the only way to protect the caves was to use her ability to transform into a wolf and attack people which in the end got her killed.

Professor Willowbrook has his back to Clark and seems to be surveying the wall. Clark will just drop going to the Fortress tonight. He turns to leave.

"Leaving so soon, Naman."

Clark freezes. Naman. That was what the Kawatche named the figure on the wall that Clark reckons was an ancient Kryptonian visitor. He turns to face the elderly man.

Professor Willowbrook turns, an enigmatic smile on his face and looks Clark over. "I must say the outfit is different but at least you are embracing your heritage more than last we met."

Clark is startled. "How...?"

"Did I know you were there? I may be old but I am not deaf yet," he says in light humour.

"That wasn't what I meant," Clark tries to say. More along the lines of how does he remember Clark. Wanda's spell. "You shouldn't...you can't remember," he trips over his words.

"Ah, yes, the witch's spell. The spirits mentioned that to me. Magic is an illusion and I am too old to be fooled by an illusion," he gives an explanation, although Clark will be damned if he can figure out how that makes sense. This is would be why he hates magic. It makes no sense.

"I, um..."

At the concerned expression on Naman's face Professor Willowbrook says, "Worry not. Who you are shall never be spoken by me."

Clark gathers himself. "I never got to say enough how sorry I was over Kyla," he expresses his regret.

Pain flashes over the elderly man's face. "The young do not always do as they are told."

"I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll go." And Clark turns to do so.

"Lindsey Harrison."

Clark stops, his brow dropping.

"I don't recall that name being here before."

Clark turns back to face the Professor who is pointing at a remote corner of the cave.

"I noticed the new symbols."

Clark momentarily closes his eyes. He had forgotten that the Professor could read the Kryptonian symbols. "It's a memorial for someone whose life was cut far too short," he explains. He carved the symbols, in Kryptonian, so no-one would think them out of place, for her. As Clark said to Claire last week he doesn't forget what Jor-El has done and Lindsey deserved some sort of memorial.

"And what of your life, Naman?"

"You know I don't buy into those stories, Professor," Clark complains about being called Naman again. "I am not Naman. He was someone else who lived and died a long time ago."

Professor Willowbrook smiles kindly, humouring him. "The young also have much yet to learn to understand their life and purpose."

Clark quietly sighs. Why does he feel like this is a debate he can't win?

"Tess Mercer."

Clark blinks at the suddenness of the change of topic. "Who?"

"A few days this woman came to me, said she represented an anonymous patron who wished for the caves to be properly studied and preserved. Her name was Tess Mercer. Heard of her?"

Clark shakes his head. "No."

"There are many young in the tribe who feel our heritage has been exploited by the white man for far too long. This woman offered to use her influence to return the caves to the ownership of our tribe once the research is done."

"Is this why you are here tonight?"

"I desired to survey the caves myself, seek inspiration whether to accept this woman's offer."

"It's important to preserve your heritage," Clark says with more depth of feeling than he use to have in this area.

"Living in the present and not dwelling in the past is more important. However, if this woman is as she appears to be on the surface I will accept her offer."

That'll make Clark's life a little more awkward. He couldn't use the caves any more if they are being studied...or at least he would have to be a lot more careful. He isn't worried they'll find anything. He has a much better understanding of how the technology hidden in the caves works...and he knows more now how to ensure it stays hidden. He'll have to talk to Jor-El and make the necessary adjustments before the survey work begins. As for his trips up to the Fortress for his training he might have to just start running up to the Fortress the direct way. "You must do whatever you feel is right for your tribe," he says to Professor Willowbrook because it is not Clark's place to dictate to the man what he can and cannot do for his people.

Professor Willowbrook walks over to Clark. "I'll leave you to your business but rest assured, Naman, your secret will never pass my lips."

"Thank you. What will you do though?"

"Whatever the Great Spirit moves me to do," the elderly man replies enigmatically and with that he leaves.

Clark watches him go. Seeing him again was a reminder to Clark of one of his greatest failures over Kyla. Clark...he had liked her a lot. With his perfect memory he can close his eyes and remember exactly how it felt to hold her and kiss her. He can remember exactly how it felt when she died in his arms. How much it pained him. Occasionally Clark wonders what it was they could have had had she lived, what has he missed out on.

Clark walks over to the wall with the paintings on it. Naman, his rival Sangeeth and the 3rd figure. The one Kyla thought she was. Naman's destined mate. A woman with dark hair. He gently runs his fingers over the figure. He still has it. The sacred bracelet Kyla gave him that he is suppose to give to his chosen one. Clark doesn't buy it. That his life is foretold on this wall. It's a story of a past event. Not a predictor of the future. Clark can't believe his life, his fate is already written.

He won't believe it.

Clark dismisses it with a shake of his head and turns to the hidden alcove so he can get to the Fortress.

* * *

**The next morning at the Institute...**

Clark is heading for the greenhouse so he can talk to Storm and ask for her help in catching Moon Man...and no matter how many times he says that it still sounds ridiculous. He knocks on the door. "Ms Munroe?"

"Yes. Come in Clark," Ororo bides him in. She then pauses at seeing who is accompanying the tall boy. "Who is your friend?" she asks after the furry, 4-legged, canine companion.

"This is Shelby," Clark explains.

"Since when do you have a dog, Clark?"

"Since last night," he replies and then goes on to explain the whole story.

Ororo bends down and Shelby wanders over, interested in meeting the nice smelling lady. "Hello there. Aren't you a fine looking animal," she compliments him as she strokes and pats him.

"I just finished having Dr McCoy examine him," Clark mentions.

"And what did Hank say?"

"He seems perfectly healthy although we might want to try and avoid any more kryptonite exposure."

Ororo nods. "A mutant dog for a mutant school," she jokes. "Perfect match."

"I came here to ask for your help, Ms Munroe. I have a theory about our troublesome lunar themed foil." Clark then goes on to request can she make sure it's clear tonight and how, when Moon Man shows up, she clouds it over and that should neutralise him.

"Of course I'll help, Clark. You only needed to ask," she agrees without pause.

"Thank you."

A gust of wind signals the arrival of Clark's roommate. "Dude, I've been looking for you everywhere," he complains. "Where have you been?"

"Bart, I did mention that I do have a lot of other things to do," Clark reminds the younger teen. "I'm sorry but I can't always be here," he does apologise but can't really change it.

Bart shoves his hands in his pockets and looks like he is sulking.

"Look, I'm hoping I can put an end to Moon Man..."

Bart sniggers as Clark says it. Boy, the fun he has had with that name this last week.

Clark rolls his eyes. "I'm hoping to put an early end to it tonight and if I do then we'll do something, ok?"

Bart grins. "Sure."

* * *

**Bayville, that night...**

Despite her burns Claire had insisted on helping so here she was with Clark patrolling, waiting for you know who to make an appearance. Storm was following from a discreet distance. She was the secret weapon.

It doesn't take very long for an explosion to ring out across the city.

Clark activates his communicator. "Storm? You read me?"

"I do Superman," Storm replies.

"This could be him. Volcana and I will check it out first and confirm it. If it is you know what is required."

"Indeed. I'll be following you. Storm, out."

Clark zips towards the direction of the explosion with Claire flying on behind him.

When they get to the source of the explosion it's the mall. Why the mall Clark couldn't tell you. And there he is. Moon Man...laughing manically. Seriously if he gets any campier Clark will feel like he is back in the late 50s or something.

Upon seeing them Moon Man declares, "So the deluded defenders of mankind once again seek to challenge my might despite their previous humiliating defeats."

Superman is already starting to feel his powers wane by just being in the general proximity of this guy. "What can we say, we're gluttons for punishment."

Volcana snorts rudely. "Listen asshole, you got lucky last time...and by the way do you have any fucking idea how much my ass has stung these last few days. I haven't been able to sit..."

Superman coughs. "Volcana," he says, stopping her tirade before she gets completely off track.

Volcana refocuses and points at Moon Man. "What I was saying is that this time I'm bringing about the fiery collision that will break you apart."

Moon Man places his hands on his hips. "Child, the moon was created in an explosion that rocked the world. Compared to it you are a tiny speck of dust."

"So's your dick!" Volcana retorts.

"Subtle," Superman criticises. "Look Moon Man, is there a particular reason you're here? Sure the mall may be the palace to all those who worship their credit cards but I wouldn't get overly worked up about it. Did the mall guards kick you out? Is that it? Do you feel aggrieved? I'm sure they have a passably adequate complaints system." he says, trying to create a delay for Storm to act.

"It is a symbol of the greed and vacuous nature of mankind. A symbol of that which threatens the object of whom I am it's avatar. When I destroy it a message will be sent. Mankind will change its ways or face the wrath of my moon powers!"

Superman looks to Volcana. "That one's too easy right?" he asks her about the jokes he could make there.

"Do I look like Spider-Man?" she asks back. Jokes and quips are not her thing.

"Make your choice my misguided opponents!" Moon Man decrees. "Retire now and I shall let you leave or stay and face the awesome power of..."

"Ok do not go there!" Superman cuts him off with a stern point of his finger. "I can only resist the temptation for so long."

"Very well then!" Moon Man accepts as he powers up and a strange whitish bluish glow forms around the man and this is the point where Clark's powers tend to give up the ghost. The most intense glow forms around Moon Man's hands. Here come the energy blasts.

Here goes Clark dodging out of the way. Good thing he works those DR sessions and by the way may he point out that in the previous encounters, even without his powers, he never got burned, unlike Claire.

Volcana throws covering fire, literally. "Now would be good Storm," she mutters as her fireballs sputter out of existence whenever they hit the glow around the guy. God that's fucking annoying. She doesn't know how he does it.

The sound of thunder rumbles in the sky

Moon Man looks up. "Brought help I see. It shall not avail thee! My quest will not be detracted from. My mission shall not be prevented!"

"Oh seriously who talks like that!" Volcana shouts.

Moon Man directs his blasts into the tarmac of the car park outside the mall, tearing it up and sending chunks at Superman and Volcana. He then sends his blasts up at Storm who manages to dodge and weave.

Moon Man is so distracted he doesn't see the red/gold blur until it slams into him, sending him careening across the car park and impacting a car.

Moon Man lies on the ground on all 4s as the red/gold blur turns into a skinny kid in a red hoodie. "You shall not stop me either!"

"Dude, the only think I want to stop you doing is wearing those clothes. I mean I haven't seen anything that campy since I read some old comic books from the 60s. Were those your inspiration?"

Moon Man sends out a blast at the boy who dodges easily.

"No-one ever hits me. Now lets play peekaboo!" he shouts as he blurs at Moon Man, dodging blasts and pulls the man's yellow cape over his face. "Hey dude. Peekaboo! Where am I?"

The distraction is all the time needed as Storm covers the moon with thick clouds. Moon Man makes a cry, almost in pain, as he collapses to the ground, the energy glow around him fading until it is gone and he lies there, seemingly powerless, certainly motionless.

Volcana, Superman and Storm join a certain Bart Allen in standing over the man.

"What are you doing here?" Clark asks Bart.

"I got bored waiting on you," Bart gives his reasoning. "Man, you know I am really disappointed about this guy. Look at him!" he points at the figure on the ground. The figure now in normal clothing. A slender man with glasses "He's a geek," Bart gives his assessment.

"What happened to the costume?" Claire wonders.

"Must be some sort of molecular transformation," Storm comments.

"Live Wire could do that," Clark recalls from the way when she transformed into electricity her clothes would change with her.

The man on the ground starts to stir, making a groan. His eyes open to find the 4 oddly dressed figures standing over him.

"So what was that about it not availing us or whatever shit you were spewing?" Volcana asks him.

The man looks completely bewildered. "What? Who are you people? Where am I?"

"We're the guys who just kicked your ass," Bart responds.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Storm senses he is genuinely confused. "What is the last thing you do remember, sir?" she asks him.

"I was at home," he answers.

"What is your name?"

"Brice Rogers...but really can someone just tell me where am I and how I got here?"

They all look at him unable to believe he can't remember.

Superman says, "It's going to be one of _those _days."

* * *

_Author's Note: Moon Man is a very obscure villain from the late 50s and his powers were magnetic in reality but I was never going to go with a lame Magneto rip-off when I can come up with something better which you'll see next chapter. Shelby's here! Hooray! Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; In the quest to aid Moon Man Clark makes a discovery and the Professor finally makes a decision over the power inhibition technology._


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

**At the Institute...**

It had taken a lot of explaining to the police and then a lot of persuasion but eventually the authorities agreed that Brice Rogers could go to the Xavier Institute so their expertise could be used to try and understand what was happening to him.

They agreed on the condition he was under armed guard.

As for Brice himself he couldn't remember a thing and was unable to believe what he was being told about what he had transformed into and what he had done as this...'Moon Man'.

It is the next morning after the sun rises, just to be certain he didn't change again, that he is brought to the Institute and led down to the infirmary for Beast to examine him.

"I hope my appearance isn't too disconcerting Mr Rogers," Hank says to the visibly baffled and nervous man.

It was but Brice has enough canny to not say so. "I just want to know what is happening to me."

"Understandable," Hank says in sympathy. "Then we shall crack on with the tests," he says getting straight to it. Preferably he would like the 2 police officers standing in the room outside the door but they had already indicated that wasn't going to happen so Hank just has to tolerate it.

The issue is Mr Rogers here never showed up on Cerebro so he isn't a mutant per say but there must be some sort of mutation involved. The only question is can Hank find it and if he can, can he come up with some method of treatment.

* * *

"Who's a cute boy, who's a cute boy," Marie coos over Shelby. She was in the kitchen having breakfast and Shelby was sitting next to her on the floor, his head on her lap.

Claire rolls her eyes. "He's not that cute," she thinks.

Marie gives her girlfriend an arched look. "How can you say that?" she asks.

Claire shrugs. "Because he's not. Lockheed's cuter."

Kitty brightens at hearing that. "That's what I think...although, I mean, Shelby's like totally sweet...for a dog," she says in somewhat qualified terms. She gives the little purple dragon perched on her shoulder a reassuring rub with her hand and Lockheed 'purrs'.

Marie just looks at her girlfriend in a little disbelief. It must be that thing she thought about Claire and Lockheed connecting over fire powers.

Jamie would agree with how cute their new mansion pet is except he is trying to wonder how he got in the position where he is literally sandwiched in between Paige and Rahne and the two girls don't seem to like each other all that much and here he is in the middle of the hostile feelings...and yeah it is kinda his fault because he can't pick.

Recently both have made some sort of vague mention about dating...dating him...he thinks. They were very vague. Girls. He just doesn't get them...nor does he know how to get himself out of this pickle without serious physical harm.

Sam was sitting next to his girlfriend having a few thoughts...like on deciding on a team name. They still couldn't agree on one. They had a list of a few; Generation X, X-Force, X-Factor, the Astonishing X-Men(to make them sound cooler than the regular X-Men). His team members were split on it...about evenly which is the problem. If there was a clear front runner he would probably just pick it. Maybe this is a leader thing. He will simply have to make the decision himself. He could ask Scott for advice. In fact he will ask Scott for advice in private.

Amara and Roberto were sitting as far away from each other as possible or more accurately Amara was sitting as far away from Roberto as she could. He at least had gotten the message to leave her alone although Amara had a feeling if she gave him a glimpse of an opening he would try something. Frankly she doesn't want anything more to do with him. Not when she has Manuel. They had met a couple of times since in secret. Amara was keeping it private. It was really thrilling. There was just something...Amara couldn't describe it. Manuel just made her feel good. It was almost like he was a drug or something.

Betsy has managed to get herself a seat next to Clark and is completely wasting all her best moves this morning because Clark is lost in his thoughts and oblivious to the whole world it seems. How can she get his mind off 'Andrea' if he isn't paying her any attention. Betsy thinks she could been sitting here stark naked and it wouldn't work...or would it?

Huh. Betsy will have to give that idea some thought. In the meantime she has to wrangle up another night out with him. The last one she thinks went well. She even almost snagged a kiss from him. Sadly emphasis on the almost.

"Son?" Jonathan queries.

"Hmm? Yes, dad?"

"You ok?"

"Just thinking on Mr Rogers."

"I'm sure Hank and Charles will solve the mystery," Jonathan says with faith and trust in his friends abilities.

"I know. It's just...I have to talk to the Professor," he says suddenly like an idea just struck him. And with that Clark is gone with a gust of wind.

The breeze makes Bart pause in what has become his usual morning flirt with Jubilee. Logan was not happy at all about it. The boy already annoyed him and now he seems to be trying to move in on Jubilee. Nope. Logan was definitely not happy with this situation. He needed to have some _words _with that boy sooner rather than later.

* * *

Clark knocks and enters the Professor's study. Charles was preparing to use his vast telepathic powers to try and get answers of Mr Rogers and to see if he truly couldn't remember what he did as Moon Man. "Yes, Clark?"

"It's about Mr Rogers."

"What about him?"

"It's just a thought if he's here perhaps I should go over to his house and see if there are any clues as to how this has happened to him. It's always better to gather as much information as possible."

Charles couldn't argue with that. It was Saturday so no worries about missing school but he has his concerns. "I don't want you going alone. Considering Mr Roger's transformed being can seem to cancel out your powers there may be a risk for you if the source is at his home," he lays out a condition.

"Ahem," a voice coughs from the doorway.

"Yes, Bart? You have something to add?" the Professor inquires.

"I could go with him," Bart volunteers. "It would half the time it takes to search the place," he argues. Bart was taken by the way Clark zipped away from the kitchen and followed and having overheard the conversation felt he could help. That doesn't seem like him somehow but then again he feels he owes Clark something after what transpired in Metropolis when they first met.

"If Clark has no objection," Charles says, leaving a gap for Clark to object.

"No. I don't," Clark says. If Bart is feeling like getting involved then he won't turn down help. Quite the opposite in fact. He would do all he could to encourage this desire to aid others in Bart.

* * *

It doesn't take too long to reach Mr Rogers home. It's outside Bayville, quiet and isolated.

"So do we know what this guy did for a living?" Bart asks.

"Civil servant."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Bart says as it confirms the impression he got of the guy. "Let me guess unmarried and lives with his parents."

"Unmarried, yes. Living with his parents, no. He lives here alone."

"How do you know?"

"X-ray vision," Clark explains. He basically scanned the house and could see only one person lived there.

"Now you're pulling my leg," Bart thinks.

"Nope. Perfectly serious."

Bart stops and looks at him sceptically. "Dude, you're only sharing this with me now?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I know what you would ask me to do with it and I never use it like that," Clark states clearly.

"Live a little, man!"

"I live plenty but I won't abuse my powers like that...and neither would you. Not really." If Bart wanted to he could do a lot worse with his abilities.

"Ok, fine. You may have a point. So what now?"

"Well this may be a _huge _coincidence," Clark says, his voice sarcastic as can be. "I mean he called himself Moon Man and he just happens to have a telescope up in his attic. It seems astronomy was his hobby."

A few second later Clark and Bart are up in the attic looking around.

"Yeah. Total coincidence," Bart says wryly.

While Mr Rogers was an amateur astronomer it seems he had a particular obsession. Covering most of the walls are pictures, photos, posters, sketchings and drawings of one particular celestial body. The Moon.

Clark's brow furrows. He walks over to a bookshelf up against the wall, packed with notebooks. He picks one up and flicks through the pages, reading it in moments. "It seems Mr Rogers was a studious record keeper. These are all his observations."

"You says studious. I say anal."

"Whatever the term Bart, there might be an answer in here. How's your speed reading?"

Bart's eyes widen in horror. There was dozens if not hundreds of notebooks. "Dude, even for us this will take forever!"

Clark shoves a book into Bart's hands. "Better get started then."

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The Professor had to say trying to aid Mr Rogers was proving to be a difficult task. An initial psychic probe of the man's mind had not revealed anything of significance. Charles couldn't find any memories of Moon Man. There were just blank, empty spaces on those nights Mr Rogers was transformed. Where were the memories?

Charles may have to probe a lot harder and deeper but he won't do that just yet. That is an invasive process he would rather avoid if he can. Better to wait and see what Hank comes up with...only so far Hank hadn't found any obvious mutation within Mr Rogers DNA.

The conclusion could be that it was somehow hidden, waiting for the light of the moon to trigger it...or they may be barking up the wrong tree completely.

Hank needed to test it so he was rigging up something to simulate moonlight to expose a blood sample to. Maybe that would reveal answers.

The next question is, assuming they can somehow identify the mutation, how to help Mr Rogers control it.

If they can't the alternative may be he has to live locked away from the moonlight. Not much of a life.

Hopefully they can find a solution.

* * *

**At Brice Rogers' home...**

Bart was bored. Bart was beyond bored. This guy's writing was so dry and worse it was dry writing about a dry subject. He was half-nodding off. He isn't even sure what they're looking for in all honesty.

He finishes another notebook and throws it aside. Nope. Nothing interesting in that one.

Bart picks up another one when he spots something he missed earlier. Some kind of metal trunk. It's what the telescope is resting on. Rogers has a sliding section of the roof he can pull back when he wants to stargaze.

Bart zips over, moves the telescope and opens the trunk. He's reaches inside with a puzzled look and pulls out some weird looking blue rock. The trunk has several of them. It seems to glow for a moment.

Clark is flipping through another book when he feels it. The weakness and his powers go. He raises a hand to his head. It's so weird to have everything shut off suddenly. It was just like when he was in Magneto's body and had to deal with normal human senses instead of his own.

What has caused that. Clark turns his head to see Bart holding a blue rock. "Bart, did you just open that?" he asks in reference to the trunk.

"Yeah. It's full of these rocks."

Clark steps over to where Bart is and kneels down beside him. Clark looks off.

Bart notices it. "You alright?"

"No. My powers are gone."

"Your powers? How...?" Bart trails off. "The rock?" he figures out.

Clark tentatively takes it into his hand. He doesn't feel any worse but he doesn't feel any better either. "Did you come across any mention of these in the notes?" he asks since he hasn't.

"No. I...no wait. I did," Bart recalls but he had dismissed it as nothing. He zips away and zips back with an open notebook. "There," he says pointing at the passage.

Clark reads it aloud. "My trip to Smallville to collect some meteor samples were more successful than I thought. I discovered a collection of rocks seemingly composed of a bright blue crystalline material. A customary examination with the equipment I had with me showed amazing refractive properties. I believe if I can find the proper process I can fashion them into lenses vastly superior to any lens composed of any earthly material."

Clark looks at the rocks. Blue kryptonite? He had never seen any of the blue variety before but what was it doing to him?

Clark puts the rock away and closes the trunk and it is very sudden. The ambient noise floods back in. He grabs the telescope and looks at the lenses and can see the very blue tint. It must not be concentrated enough to affect him.

"Ok so explanation?" Bart asks for

"Remember the green rock I'm allergic to."

"Yeah."

"Meteor rock. This blue variety must affect me differently. It also explains how Mr Rogers was mutated."

"It does?"

"The green meteors create mutants. Surely you must have heard of that?"

"Oh yeah. I think I did in passing."

"Well however this blue variety works Mr Rogers has been peering through lenses made of it, mostly at the Moon considering his apparent fascination for it, for..." Clark checks the date in the notebook. "Whoa. 5 years apparently."

"That's messed up," Bart reflects.

"Come on," Clark says as he stands up. "This is the answer. We have to get the rocks and telescope back to the Institute for the Professor and Dr McCoy to study."

* * *

**Later that day at the Institute...**

Martha and Jonathan were entertaining Mr Rogers and his police escort while Hank examined the rocks Clark brought back. He is able to give a preliminary assessment of them to Clark and the Professor down in the lab.

"They are a form of kryptonite," Hank can confirm Clark's supposition.

"Blue kryptonite," Charles says it.

"Yes. The radiation it emits is very different which would be perhaps why Mr Rogers doesn't show up on Cerebro as a meteor mutation."

"You did manage to trigger his mutation when you exposed his blood to the simulated moon light, though," Charles points out.

"I managed to see his cells mutate. The genetic trigger still alludes me," Hank gives his current position in his research.

"What about me? How does it shut off my powers?" Clark asks.

"I haven't ascertained that yet," Hank replies since they haven't done enough tests to figure out what the radiation of this form of kryptonite does to Clark. "We have ascertained it has a range limit for you. The smaller the piece the smaller the range," he gives the very basics. "Obviously when Mr Rogers is transformed that glow you mentioned around his body is the same radiation the rocks give off."

Hence how Moon Man disrupted Clark's powers. "Well we were grappling with the issue of power inhibition. It seems I won't be left out of it," Clark says not bitterly or angrily or even with any great concern. Just matter of factly. Perhaps oddly so.

Charles could see what Clark meant. A piece of this blue kryptonite on his person would inhibit the alien teen's abilities in the same fashion the collars do on mutants.

"If it is kryptonite then can't we inhibit Mr Rogers' powers as well?" Clark speculates.

Hank pauses and thinks. "There is no reason why not. I need to examine him again. Now I know vaguely what I'm looking for perhaps I can find the mutation in his genetic structure. However the technology we are working on is some way off being user friendly," he cautions it will take time. Bulky collars aren't exactly a fashion statement or very practical for day to day living.

"There may be a quicker way," Clark proposes.

Both Hank and Charles look at him with interest. "Explain, please Clark," the Professor asks.

"In Belle Reve they used lead bracelets to inhibit their patients' powers. Small amounts of lead in the bloodstream would do it. Chloe found that out from talking to some of its former patients who live in Smallville at the farm."

"Yes. I remember that being mentioned," Hank recalls from that weekend he was there.

"Lead is poisonous," Charles reminds them, which is why they never went down that path when looking at how to inhibit powers.

"I know," Clark says. "But I mean, it can be ok in the short term and that would allow Mr Rogers to get back to his life...well today."

Hank and Charles share a look. That could actually work.

* * *

It is night time that a lead bracelet wearing Brice Rogers is shaking both the Professor's and Beast's hands thanking them as he prepares to catch a cab for home. A perfectly normal Mr Rogers despite the moon's presence in the sky. "I can't thank you enough," he repeats for about the fifth time. "I don't mean to be rude but I wasn't sure about mutants but if this is what you do then I have no problem with you."

"You are most welcome Mr Rogers," Charles says, not wishing to be overly praised. "However I would suggest you invest in a more normal telescope."

"I'll do that," Mr Rogers promises having heard how he came to be like this.

"This is only temporary," Hank repeats his caution over the bracelet. "We're working on something more permanent to control your...condition and I'll also need to see you once a week." That was the police's condition for not throwing the man into a windowless jail cell.

"I'll remember," Mr Rogers promises again.

With that he gets into his cab and departs.

Hank claps his hands together. "Another satisfied customer!" he quips.

Charles chuckles at his friend's humour.

"Surprisingly simple solution in the end," Hank must comment.

"Indeed...and it reminded me of something important," Charles says with a humble edge to his voice.

"Which is?"

"That power inhibition technology can have a medical benefit. I was so caught up in the politics I forgot the human dimension. There are mutants with severe mutations beyond their control this could help. Take Moira's son, Kevin, for example. He could finally get out of that room we had to lock him up in."

"Does that mean we will proceed with the development of the technology?" Hank wonders.

"I'll need to talk with Patricia Swann and inform the students but you and Forge may want to pack a bag because you'll need to go to Star Labs in Metropolis to finish perfecting the technology."

Hank translates that to mean that's a yes...and when Charles informs the students there will be unhappiness...and when he makes a public announcement, which he will have to, it will be worse. Magneto...Magneto will respond and it won't be pleasant.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

For Lionel it is a very late...very early morning video call he is currently involved in with the leader of his band of hired help(mercenaries) Wade Cole. "How did the operation proceed Mr Cole?" Lionel asks for an update.

"We managed to infiltrate the facility and acquire the amount of meteor rock requested," Cole reports the good before tagging on a complaint. "Would have been easier if the distraction hadn't been stopped so soon."

Lionel makes a small movement of his head that really doesn't indicate anything. "The dogs served their purpose. They kept Superman and his friend busy and blinded to the real goal and since my son will not publicly announce these storage facilities exist there will be no report to the police and Superman and his allies will remain oblivious to what is going on. Now the shipping arrangements, you've received them?"

"A Shaw Industries ship at Metropolis docks," Shaw acknowledges. "The required people have already been 'recruited' to assist." For recruited read bribed or paid off.

"Excellent. Once that is complete I'll have another task for you shortly."

Cole has no issue really with continuing this arrangement. Lionel pays well and his plans mean no-one is aware of Cole and his associates being involved. "What will this task involve?" he asks before explaining, "so I know what sort of equipment I will require."

"It will be similar to the rocks. The retrieval of a certain...unique weapon from a high security facility. I'll have my associate Mr Ramsey send you the security details once he obtains them. He is still infiltrating the systems."

"Very well," Cole agrees.

"And that Shaw Industries ship that is coming it will bring something for you. An aid for next time Superman interferes," Lionel mentions.

"An aid?" Cole queries unsure what Lionel means

"You'll see when it gets there," is all Lionel will say about it right now.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The entire current population of the mansion had been gathered together in the Danger Room. The Professor brings the meeting to order. He speaks with a heavy voice that reflects the gravity of the topic he is about to discuss. "This last week or so we have all been grappling with the issue of what to do about the power inhibition technology. It is clear that there is no decision that can be made that will get universal approval. That being the case it falls upon me to weigh up all the opposing viewpoints and decide what will be best for mutantkind...and I have decided that we will press ahead with the development of this technology in view of presenting it to the world when it is ready."

Charles pauses and waits with trepidation for the reaction. There are several unhappy expressions being aimed in his direction. There is no yelling. There is simply backs being turned and people walking out the room.

Logan, Rogue, Domino, Spyke, Roberto and Tabby all leave.

Ororo feels her heart pinch painfully as both her nephew and her boyfriend walk out. That's going to cause a rift that will take some healing.

Sam isn't surprised by Tabby leaving. He had heard her views on it several times but he's a leader now and as a leader he finds he has to agree with the Professor. That's going to cause strife in the relationship. Sam can only hope it's not so much that it ends it. He really likes Tabby a lot.

No-one is surprised by Domino leaving. In fact for those that know her well enough it is understandable she would after what she experienced at Stryker's hands. You don't need to know the details, which Domino has never told, to know she suffered.

Roberto...what is there to say. Lately he's been a bit of a douche and if Roberto is leaving Amara is staying just to annoy him.

Clark wishes he could be surprised by Rogue walking out. He isn't. He's more confused at her if anything. Once upon a time, before she could control her powers, she would have killed for technology like this to help her. Now she's all stroppy over it. He's not sure what has gotten into her. As the ex he's not sure it's up to him to confront her about. As a wish to remain her friend he would like to know what it is she is thinking. Not today. He can still tell when it is best to just leave her to cool her temper off. At some point, though, Clark will ask her just what is going on in that head of hers.

Scott can see that the tensions they have been having might only be getting worse from here...or hopefully once the others calm down they'll see reason. In any case it makes Scott happy that Alex wasn't one who walked out. As matter of fact Alex has been surprisingly practical in his attitude to the whole thing. Combined with what Scott has seen of Alex in the Danger Room sessions he can proudly say he has seen the potential in Alex to one day be a leader like himself.

Claire's brow is deeply furrowed in unhappiness. She speaks up. "Unlike some people I don't walk out but I have to say, Professor, I think this is a fucking stupid idea."

"Thank you for your candour," the Professor replies with a tiny reluctant smile.

"My what?"

"Your honesty," Clark translates for her.

"It's the right choice," Jonathan gives his view.

"No. It's just a choice," Charles corrects his friend, remembering what Lilandra said. He turns to Hank. "I spoke to Patricia. She'll have Star Labs ready for whenever you are to leave."

"Forge and I have a few things to pack first so probably Monday we'll be ready to go," Hank replies to that.

Bart steps up next to Clark. "Man I'm not sure this is a good thing," he says with a shake of his head, unable to know if he should even take a side.

"Like Andi said, Bart, we need to be held to account."

"Of course you would agree with her...but then again if she offered me a date I would agree to anything," he says with that little bit of being a horny teenager.

Clark fixes him a look that says, 'Try it and die.'

Bart holds his hands up. "And ok, I'm backing off your girlfriend."

"She's not..." Clark begins to yell.

"Clark," his mother's stern tones stop him. "There is no reason to shout," she chastises him.

Clark's shoulders slump as they always do when his mother tells him off. "Sorry," he mumbles.

"For those who stayed, thank you," Charles says grateful to them for their support. "I just hope this doesn't push the others into doing something...drastic," he frets.

"Like leave?" Sean suggests.

"Yes," Charles confirms that fear. "You not upset, Sean?"

"Nah," he responds with a shake of his head. "You know me. Mr Optimist! I'm sure it will work out."

"Like that hasnae ever bite us on th' behind before," his daughter Terry sarcastically points out.

"Yet ye didnae walk out," Sean retorts.

"Somebody has t' keep ye from getting yourself killed father o' mine," Terry declares and that someone is her.

"I'm sure th' hospital mixed ye up with someone else's bairn," Sean jokes.

Terry rolls her eyes. Like she hasn't heard _that _one before.

"Just because we stayed doesn't mean we're happy, Professor," Ray makes the point. To some it might be surprising 'Mr Short Temper' stayed. It's more he literally has nowhere else to go so he'll just have to be unhappy. Besides these sort of decisions aren't his to make.

"I know, Ray. I know. I know when I made the choice. When the others calm down I hope they'll give me a chance to explain it is not simply about the law enforcement applications. There are medical ones. Not all mutants are as fortunate as us. Some suffer extremely acute mutations that make even day to day living difficult. If this technology can aid them then I feel we are partly obligated to develop it."

"Aye. That's true," Rahne says. "I've seen them. That's who me mum tries and help on Muir Island." Now the Professor has mentioned it she can see how the technology could benefit them. God it would be great for her brother to be able to get out of that room and return to a normal life.

The Professor does acknowledge one thing about those that walked out in a sense of fear are correct in. "The choice is made and when it is revealed to the public we all will have to live with the consequences. I can see how we all might be worried that this technology could be abused yet I can also reiterate the point I have made before that I believe this technology's release is inevitable at some point. Others are developing it. When it's release comes, either by us or someone else, I can only pray that the reaction won't be as severe as some believe."

* * *

Later Storm had just finished having a talk with Evan. Not the best auntie/nephew talk they have ever had. Evan isn't happy and Ororo can see he won't be changing his mind. He won't leave, thank the Goddess, but it might make the X-Men team dynamic a little more prickly(pardon the pun) going forward. That's one person down she needed to talk to. Now she is onto looking for her boyfriend and she has just found him where she thought he would be. Sitting up against the wall around the Institute, drinking. She slides in next to him. "So are we ready to talk yet?" she asks him, having given him enough time to calm down.

"Why?" Logan asks what he thinks is a pertinent question. "You already know my opinion," he reminds her that he's given it to her.

"Logan, I didn't mean to debate over the principles. I meant what it means for us. We disagree, couples do that. I want to hope it is not such a big divide we can't bridge it."

Logan sighs and sips his beer. "It's not that I can't see why you think it is a good idea. It is just I know it'll backfire on us. What happens next time a new mutant can't control their power. Will the authorities be understanding? Or, more likely, they'll stick a collar around their necks and throw them in jail."

"Logan, they didn't do that with Mr Rogers did they? They didn't throw him in jail. They brought him to us and we helped him," she argues calmly.

"One good deed does not a precedent set."

"Perhaps not," she might concede. "However it shows that a precedent can be."

Logan sips on her beer again. He gets to what he thinks is the crux of why she is here right now. "Ro, I ain't walking out if that's your worry. I don't think Jinx and Stripes will either. Rest assured though I reserve the right to say I told ya so when the day comes we regret this...which we will."

"I grant you that privilege."

"Well thank you your Majesty," Logan mocks lightly her permission.

Ororo smiles at his normal but somehow loveable irascible attitude. "Perhaps it will work out."

"I won't hold my breath. Trust me. This will be abused."

"And when it is we will be there to stop it," Ororo counters. "After all that is what the X-Men are for."

Logan sips on his beer more but says nothing.

Ororo lets out a soft sigh. This is going to an issue and not one they will get past smoothly. Then again when has one day since she started dating Logan been smooth. After all he's the Wolverine.

* * *

_Author's Note: I maybe being slightly overly critical here but I think the X-Men can be too severe in their belief mutants have to accept what they are even if their mutations can be near debilitating. Much better to see that the ability to inhibit their powers could be a medical aid to those mutants. And the winner is...blue kryptonite! The source of Moon Man's powers and of Clark's power issues. Seemed appropriate enough to include, considering the discussion, to bring in the version of kryptonite that renders Clark powerless. T__hanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; Cyborg._


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Some days Victor Stone wonders if this is Hell. He can remember the car crash...sort of. He knows his family is dead. He knows he was dead...maybe still is. He woke up half a man, limbs missing, massive other internal injuries.

That's when the men said they would make him whole again and since that day Victor has been rebuilt. His missing pieces replaced by people who called themselves 'doctors'.

It almost makes him want to laugh if it wasn't him they had turned into their little Frankenstein monster.

They never denied telling him what they had done, what they had turned him into. They took pride in it. Victor was their greatest achievement. Ahead of his time. The last surviving 'test subject'.

There was only one. An Asian man, Dr Hong, who ever showed any remorse. He is the only one who treats Victor like he still a human being and not some experiment.

What has kept him going? What has stopped him going insane all these months?

Katherine.

His girlfriend.

He pictures her, pictures seeing her, holding her in his arms. Simple dreams but it keeps him going.

He can do little else strung up as he in restraints that keep him docile, keep his replacement parts tuned down.

Victor raises his head as an extremely agitated looking Dr Hong comes in to the room they keep him in on display. Dr Hong comes up to Victor and starts undoing the restraints. "Victor," he says in a loud whisper. "I'm sorry for what they...for what we did to you," he apologises, the guilt over being involved in this clear in his voice.

"What...?" Victor starts to ask, his voice hoarse from lack of use.

"You have to leave. He's coming to reclaim you."

"Who?" Victor asks with understandably confusion.

The lights flicker then go off to be replaced by dim emergencies ones as Dr Hong continues to undo the restraints. Both legs done and now onto the ones at the wrists.

"It's Lionel," Dr Hong says. "He contacted me a few days ago wanting my help in getting you back. He sees you as his property. His men are storming this facility."

Just to prove this the sounds of gunfire can be heard.

"I couldn't get you out then but their distraction allows me to do it now and give you a chance to escape in the chaos."

Dr Hong undoes the last restraint and Victor drops off his platform. He turns to the short, compared to him, man. "Thank you," he says.

"You have to go now," Dr Hong says urgently. "Knock me out."

Victor looks at him puzzled.

"You have to knock me out. Make it look like your restraints came undone when the power went out," Dr Hong explains it.

Victor nods, a little hesitant to do it. He makes sure to use his left, still flesh and blood, arm and punches the doctor out.

Just then armed men storm in the room. Victor makes a break for it, heading for a set of stairs that leads up to the roof moving at a far above normal human pace.

"Aim for the shoulder!" one of the men shouts and gunfire rings out but miss. Victor smashes his way out through the roof entrance door and is gone.

"Dammit!" the leader of the group curses. "Luthor will have our head for this!" He rubs his head. "Pull everyone out, now!" he orders and with that they make their exit before Lex's security can respond.

* * *

Victor runs...it has been so long since he just ran in the free air. He has no idea where he is going except away...as far away as possible until they stop chasing him.

Victor keeps running, not seeing what he is running in to. Not until it hits him.

The car crumples around his body and Victor stands there stunned into inaction by what he did. He peers through the smashed windscreen and spots two young women. A blond and a brunette.

"Chloe, you alright?" the groggy brunette driver asks of her companion.

"Yeah, Lo I'm fin..." she trails off as she spots the state of the front end of their car and of the seemingly totally unharmed young man with brown skin and shorn short black hair.

Lois finally catches up with what Chloe is seeing. "What the hell!" she exclaims. "What the hell did you do to my car?!" she demands to know.

"Uh, Lo, maybe you should focus on the fact he should be dead but how, instead, he doesn't have a mark on him."

"Believe me I'm noticing but come on. I'm still paying off this car! How am I going to explain this to the insurance company?!"

Victor takes a few deep breaths and takes a few steps back.

Chloe tries to undo her buckle but it won't budge. "Wait! Don't go! We can help!" she pleads with him, seeing the outright terror in his eyes. He's going to make a dash for it.

Victor shakes his head. "No. You can't. You're better off forgetting me and this. Trust me. I'm no-one you want to know."

"But we know people!" Chloe is about to start explaining about her connections to the Smallville mutant community and the Xavier Institute.

"I'm sorry about the car but I'm out of here!" he says before running off.

Chloe winces in pain and presses a hand to her head. She is a little shocked to see blood. She must have cut her head, probably caused by the flying glass.

Lois bangs her hands on the steering wheel in frustration and annoyance. "Jerk!" she yells after him. What a jerk. He does this and just runs off. He's like 99% of her exes. You know she and Chlo were just having a girls' night out in Metropolis this Saturday evening and this is what happens!

Lois sucks a breath in. Her damaged knee from when the aliens came down was barely healed and now she has suffered this. She can feel the stab of pain run up her leg. "Son of a bitch," she mutters.

* * *

A short while later Chloe and Lois are in a Metropolis hospital being checked over and giving their statements to the police.

They are soon visited by a certain reporter friend of Chloe's.

"Hey Andrea," Chloe greets the bespectacled woman.

"Chloe. How are you feeling?" Andrea asks.

"Been better," Lois answers.

Chloe rolls her eyes at Lois' butting in. "She's basically right. Been better but it's just a cut really," she gives the assessment of her injuries. Although she had gotten a couple of stitches for her troubles on her left temple.

"What we need is to get out of here and get on to finding that jerk we hit," Lois determines.

Andrea looks curiously at Chloe. She hadn't gotten all the details. In fact it wasn't that Chloe had phoned her that brought her here. Andrea picked it up on her scanner she uses to monitor the emergencies radio frequencies for her other 'job'.

"We hit a guy...who totalled our car and didn't get a scratch," Chloe explains.

"Mutant?" Andrea wonders.

"Not one I know but there was something in his eyes. He was...terrified and the way he ran out in front of us and then ran off I'm starting to think he was running from something."

"Did you see anyone chasing him?"

"No...but that doesn't mean there wasn't," Lois says.

Andrea can't argue that.

Lois hops down off her bed with a slight wince as she lands on her leg. "I'm going to see about getting us out of here," she determines as she limps off.

"I'm going to see if I can get a hold of Clark," Andrea determines. "We could use his help."

Chloe watches Andrea walk off with a curious expression. It's not that Clark wouldn't be helpful. He certainly would. It is just she is pretty certain Andrea could handle this herself and therefore it seems to Chloe that Andrea is using this as an excuse to spend time with Clark. Seriously, why doesn't she just ask him out? Chloe can't figure out the reasons.

* * *

**The Fortress of Solitude...**

"And thus ends the first wave of Kryptonian exploration into the universe," Jor-El's words conclude a lesson for his son.

The holographic column surrounding Clark, dressed in his Superman costume, fizzles out and he takes a moment to let his brain process the information. A brain that is decidedly more quiet since he decided to let Jor-El start to fix it. Clark has to take advantage of any free time he can to come up here. Things at the mansion were still tense a week after the Professor's announcement on the inhibition technology. No-one had walked out but there was a lot of disquiet in the air.

So here he was, last weekend in January, very nearly the end of the month learning about his heritage instead of doing what normal teenagers do at the weekend. Betsy wasn't happy with him. He got a full on pout when he politely turned down another evening out with her.

Good lord did that girl have an attractive pout.

Anyway Clark does have to make these sort of difficult choices about how to spend his time.

"I have a question," he says to Jor-El.

"Ask it," Jor-El permits.

"So we travelled out into space, met other species..."

"Some friendly, some not," Jor-El makes the point.

"What about us? Which were we?" Clark asks.

"At differing times, we have been both. We are a very old culture, Kal-El. At different times in our history we have been motivated by different drives and beliefs. It's neither a defence nor an attack. It is merely a statement of what was."

"Ok," he accepts that with some understanding. After all look at human history. In the past there have been countries, now peaceful and democratic, that aggressively carved out empires for themselves. Over time they changed. Clark has another question. "So we travelled out into space, settled on worlds, formed colonies, are they still there?" he asks, seeking to see if he is truly alone.

"Yes...and no."

"Not helpful."

"Yes we settled on worlds. In time some perished. Some flourished. Time is a key. Millions of years pass, living in a new environment. Humanity's Charles Darwin gave it a term."

"Evolution."

"Yes. In that different environment what were once Kryptonians evolved into separate distinct species. Still related to their mother race but not what one would call Kryptonians any longer. They have their own customs, their own laws, their own philosophy and beliefs. Some are now physically quite different from us. Some have even forgotten where they came from."

Clark tries to wrap his head around it all.

"You must be cautious, Kal-El. There are those out there who coveted our species' great power. If they knew you alone had survived they would come for you, to try and seize this power for themselves."

"I can't hide forever. I won't," Clark refuses to do that.

"I am not asking you to. A day will come when this world and beyond know what you are. I am asking you to be wary that it will draw in those that seek power above all things."

"I think I have that bit down," Clark says a little weary sounding at being wary of being exposed.

Just then Clark's phone rings. He and Jor-El had had a long 'discussion' over his disembodied father allowing it to work up here but Clark insisted it was absolutely essential in case of an emergency, like Lionel Luthor doing something. After all, Clark had pointed out, hadn't Jor-El himself said this human had to be stopped. That got Clark a rare victory over Jor-El.

Clark answers his phone. His face lights up and a smile threatens to split his face apart. "Andrea!" he greets her and then his face turns more serious as she tells him what has been going on. Though he is making a mental note to once again annoy Lois over her driving skills. First she hits a dog and now she hits a guy. "Ok. Are Chloe and Lois alright?...Just bruises and cuts. What hospital are you at?...I'll be there as soon as I can," he tells her and ends the calls. "Jor-El, I need to go," he informs his father. It isn't a debate.

"I sense it pointless to try and stop you."

"See. We are getting to know each other."

"Your sense of humour still evades my understanding, Kal-El."

Clark shrugs. "You and everyone else who knows me."

There is no response to that beyond Clark vanishing in a flash of light as he is teleported away.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

Since his moment of enlightenment Lionel has rarely lost his temper. He use to over such trivial matters. Now he sees how silly it all was.

However after getting an update on tonight's events in Metropolis Lionel can feel the old surge of rage build up within him at the fact his associates lost the target!

"At least tell me your men managed to retrieve the data," Lionel asks of Mason Cole. It was a two prong event. Get all the data and capture the only surviving test subject.

"Yes. We have it all."

That's something. "I want Mr Stone found," he orders. "Before my son finds him," he insists upon as a necessity.

"We're trying," Cole insists.

Lionel thinks. "Get Dr Hong. He helped create Project Cyborg. There must be a way to trace Mr Stone...look up his personal file. There must be someone important to him. Family, friends, a significant other. Connections of the heart always lead to clouded thinking. He may seek them out."

Cole nods in obedience. "Yes, Mr Luthor."

* * *

**Metropolis...**

Andrea was simply waiting as Chloe and Lois tried to get themselves discharged. Without knowing more about what was going on she felt she needed to remain here to protect them until Clark showed up. Her heart involuntarily speeds up when she thinks on Clark.

Chloe comes to sit down next to Andrea as Lois takes care of the final details. She lets out a sigh and then her eyes spot _him_ down the corridor. She grabs Andrea's arm and squeezes.

"What?" Andrea asks.

"It's him," Chloe says in a low whisper, pointing down at the brown skinned young man. "That's who we hit."

Andrea's eyes focus in on where Chloe is pointing and when he spots the fact they see him he tries to make a hasty getaway. "Stay here," Andrea orders as she rapidly chases after him.

Andrea catches up to him outside. "Hey!" she yells. He ignores her. "Hey! I'm talking to you!" she repeats more forcefully and grabs his arm.

Victor stops and turns to gaze at the brunette woman in glasses. Sirens wail and he jerks his head around nervously.

"Is that who's after you? The police?" Andrea asks him because if it is it would be her job to take him in.

"You've got the wrong guy," Victor says.

The lack of conviction in his voice says otherwise to Andrea. "So my friends didn't crash into you?"

"What are you looking for, an apology?"

"Just answers...and to help you if I can."

"You can't."

"They said they hit you full on. How aren't you hurt?" she asks, probing, trying to make him slip and reveal something.

"Milk does the body good," he replies.

"Look whatever trouble you are in I can help. I have...friends. Don't push me to do this the other way."

Victor looks at her, glaring at him intently, as if she can do exactly what she says. "I'm sorry about your friends. I really am but I have other places to be," he says. He should not have come but he felt guilty for what he did. He just had to be sure the two women were alright and now he knows they are it's time he goes. "Goodbye," he says with some finality and turns to leave.

Andrea grabs his right arm and tightens her grip so he can't leave.

"Lady, let me go! Let me...!" He only means it to be a gentle shove but he throws her through the air and she impacts the wall, cracking it.

Andrea is more shocked than hurt.

Victor panics that he's seriously harmed her. "Are you...?" he trails off as she stands up, unhurt. Victor is surprised. "What the Hell are you made of?"

Before Andrea can reply a gust of wind indicates the arrival of Superman as he appears next to her with a deeply intense expression. "That's an excellent question," he says in stern tones having caught sight of that last action. "Could ask it of you." Clark switches into x-ray vision planning to scan this guy's cellular structure only it isn't necessary as he catches sight of what's inside him. Metal...a lot of metal replacing a lot of the left side of his skull, his right arm, his chest along with what look like artificial lungs and heart, parts of the spine, basically most of the lower half of him with artificial legs but it is a more sophisticated technology than anything Clark has ever seen...outside Sentinels.

"What are you looking at, man?" Victor asks at the intense gaze he is getting.

Clark blinks and his eyes return to normal and that is when he realises he knows this guy. "Victor? Victor Stone?"

"I know you?" he asks.

"Met High wide receiver. I...watched you in a couple of games," Clark explains which is true. It was Met High came to play the Smallville Crows. "You were some player," he dishes out the compliment.

"I don't play any more," Victor says with a hollow bitterness.

"Not surprising since last I heard you were dead. Car accident."

Andrea's eyebrows rise. He looked pretty good for a dead guy.

"Victor," Clark says softly. "I don't know what is going on precisely but I ask you, trust us, let us help. What have you got to lose?"

The sad truth is nothing so Victor agrees.

* * *

Since, to a point, Andrea has been revealed and bluntly they have nowhere else to go they take Victor back to her apartment. Andrea had given a story to Lois and Chloe about having to leave and would explain it to Chloe properly later. As Victor sits on her chair in her lounge, in the kitchen Clark is explaining to her in a low whisper what he saw when he x-rayed the man.

Andrea looks at him, a little disbelieving. "So what? He's the Six Million Dollar Man?" she asks in the same low whisper Clark is speaking in.

Clark shrugs.

Andrea briefly looks at Victor then back to Clark. "I didn't know technology like that existed."

"Neither did I...but then again I've come across a lot of things I thought were impossible these last few years."

"You are so holding out on me," she complains with a cute little pout.

Clark smiles. Her pout was so darn adorable on her beautiful face. "No. I'm not. It just takes a really long time to get through all my stories. I lead an interesting life."

"Hmm, hmm. I want to hear about that some day."

"Lets deal with Victor for the moment," Clark side-steps that. He and Andrea walk over and sit down on the couch. "So I suppose the reports of your death were greatly exaggerated," he quips.

Victor manages a tiny smile at the joke before he becomes grimly serious. "Not really. It was last year. We were all in the car...laughing, carrying on. Then it started to snow. My little sister always loved the snow," he says with terrible sadness and loss in his voice. "My ma... my pops...my...my little sister. I should have died with them. I passed out...expected to see some angels next time I woke up. Instead, I got a bunch of SynTechnics scientists playing Frankenstein," he explains with anger growing in his tone.

"SynTechnics?" Clark queries not familiar with that company. "They did this to you?"

"I wasn't the only dead guy they pulled from an accident, just the first to survive their experiments. If it wasn't for this one doctor that helped me escape, I'd be more machine than man right now. I'd be...who knows where."

"Machine? You mean all those bionics in your body?" Andrea asks him.

Victor is surprised, startled she knows that. "How do you know what's in me? What about that wall I tossed you into? How come you're not even hurt?"

"You're not the only one who drinks a lot of milk," Andrea dead-pans.

"So you're bionic like me? You're another test subject?"

"No. I'm...I'm a mutant," Andrea gives the only explanation she knows of what she is.

"A what?" Victor inquires, totally lost.

Andrea is confused by his response.

Clark gets it. "Last year, Andi. Before it all came out. That is when his accident was."

"Oh. Wow," is all she can say. To think on how much he has missed out on.

"Mutants are a new branch of humanity," Clark begins the explanation and tries to summarise everything that has happened, that Victor has missed, as best he can, as distinctly as he can. He's certain he probably skipping stuff but it's too long a story to include everything.

Victor tries and absorb it. "So there are people with superpowers everywhere now?"

"Sort of," Clark confirms that is right. "Not every mutation is that extreme but there are a lot of people with amazing gifts."

"Like you as well," Victor says. "I guess the costume isn't just because you're into cosplay," he adds. He hadn't forgotten the way this guy just appeared like a ghost.

Clark laughs at that. "No. I use my gifts to help people...but I'll have to remember that line for next time I see Spidey."

"What do they call you?"

"The papers and media call me Superman but my name is Kal. You can call me that if you wish," Clark permits Victor.

"And people, they're ok with all this?" Victor asks.

"Not everyone," Andrea admits the truth. "There are these groups that have sprung up, anti-mutant, like, well like those white supremacists ones who think mutants are a threat to the purity of the human race."

Now there is an analogy Victor gets...only he wishes he didn't.

"It's a period of change and those can be difficult," Clark summarises the situation.

"That's what Katherine said to me when we started dating."

"Katherine was your girlfriend?"

Victor nods with great sadness on his face. "It's crazy. We were kids but we talked about getting married after school. Some wedding that'd be now," he says with an emptiness at what he has lost.

"Does she know you're alive?" Andrea asks.

Victor shakes his head. "No. I don't want to see her. If she knew what I am now, what they did to me. How could she ever love a thing like me?"

_Love a thing like me._ Those words strike deep into Clark because it's a constant fear he still has and can't shake. In the end how can anyone love an inhuman thing like him. You could say Rogue did and yet look how that ended.

"I don't think we're the best people to ask about that," Andrea says because in her own way she has that dilemma too being what she is now.

Victor shrugs. "Won't even matter if SynTechnics catches up with me first...or Luthor."

Clark's interest rises. "Which Luthor?" he asks with extreme intensity.

"Dr Hong said it was Lionel. His men stormed the place just before Hong freed me. Hong was the only one who treated me like I was still a man."

Clark's fingers dig into his palms as he clenches his fists hard. Lionel...again. Andrea reaches over and gently places her hand on top of his fist and he relaxes under her touch.

"Lionel's a little difficult to protect you from," Andrea gives Victor the hard truth. "We don't know where he is. He's a fugitive."

"Seriously?" Victor queries.

Andrea then remember Victor won't know what Lionel did either. "He's wanted for treason. It's a long story."

"I bet."

"But there are places you can go that are safe," Clark adds, not giving the details yet.

Andrea nods in agreement with that before saying, "As for SynTechnics, I work at the Daily Planet. I can do some digging into them. What they've done to you is completely illegal beyond the moral outrage. If I can dig up some dirt I can use it as leverage to get them off your back."

"You guys would do that for me?" Victor asks, touched they are putting their butts on the line for him.

"I kind of have a thing about being experimented on in labs," Clark says, expressing his deeply set fear over that. "Not to mention I'm a big believer in truth and justice. What these men have done to you Victor, they'll be held to account. I promise you."

"Thanks," is all Victor can think of to say.

"Saying that we're going to need hard proof of what they've done and there is only one way to do that," Clark says reluctantly because of what it will entail.

Victor can figure it out. "You need someone to examine me," he says, his voice cold.

"I know how you feel, believe me but there's a doctor...my doctor. The only one I let examine me. He knows more than anyone on this planet on how my biology works. Enough to know exactly how to disable me and I trust him, Victor. Now I'm asking you to trust me and let him help you."

Victor looks down at the floor. "I guess I ain't got much of a choice," he has to grudgingly accept even if he can't stomach the idea of yet another lab.

"Just give us a minute," Andrea says as she rises to her feet and pulls Clark away from Victor into her bedroom so they can talk.

Clark pauses. He's never seen inside her bedroom before. He had tried not to let his mind go there.

"Where will you take him?" she asks Clark.

"Star Labs. Dr McCoy and Forge are there working on the power inhibition technology. For secrecy I'm going to have to call for a favour from its owner."

"You know its owner?" Andrea asks with a puzzled look.

"Patricia Swann, yes," Clark confirms.

"Swann? As in Virgil Swann?" she asks, amazed Clark would know someone like that.

Clark nods. "Yeah. She's his daughter. That's..."

"A long story," Andrea guesses.

Clark looks guilty. His secrets. It always comes down to his secrets. He rubs the back of his neck which is a habit when he's awkward and unsure of himself. "Andrea, I...my life, it's complicated. It's not..."

Andrea stops him. "Clark. I'm not asking for your life secrets. I'm sure you have good reasons to keep them. Just keep in mind that sometimes I will need to know what is going on if we're going to work together effectively."

Clark knows he is walking a line here. Secrets destroyed his relationship with Rogue. He doesn't want them to ruin his friendship...or whatever it is that is developing between him and Andrea yet he doesn't want his burdens on her shoulders either. She has enough burdens. "Andi, I promise I will never intentionally put you in danger," his voice deep with soft sincerity.

"I can live with that," Andrea says with a smile.

Clark smiles back. Now he has a phone call to make. Patricia did say he could if he needed something.

* * *

**Star Labs, Metropolis...**

Beast wasn't sure what was about to happen. Only a phone call from Clark which vaguely mentioned something about needing help and it would involve a detailed internal examination of someone. Shortly after that the building had been mostly cleared on Patricia Swann's orders. Basically there was just himself, Forge and a few security guards left.

Hank and Forge had been here for close to a week now, readying and perfecting the power inhibiting collars and what is essentially a jail cell with the 4 pillars. It was for both the medicinal and law enforcement purposes they were aiming for. When it came the time to announce this they had to try and emphasise the positive benefits of the technology and hope to minimise the backlash.

Also they were working on the ways to counter the technology by creating a small device that could be concealed on their persons. Not to defy the law but in case their enemies, particularly the Hellfire Club and Stryker, try to imprison them again.

It had been exhilarating in a way for Hank to once again able to work with his peers. Sure he had gotten a few strange looks at first but they had moved past that. Dr Emil Hamilton in particular was a most brilliant man.

Hank and Forge turn to the double doors of the lab as they open and they spot Superman and the tall, well built young man accompanying him.

"Dr McCoy, Forge, this is Victor Stone," Superman introduces them to each other.

"Delighted to meet you," Hank greets the boy with a warm smile and jovial tone.

Victor takes the offered hand, trying really hard not to stare. Kal had tried to warn him beforehand but it doesn't really prepare you for the sight of the blue furred covered man.

"Is everything alright?" Hank asks at the prolonged gaze.

"Yeah," Victor says a little too quickly. "I just never realised the cookie monster was real."

Clark chuckles. "Cookie monster, that's good," he mumbles in amusement.

Hank gives Clark a look before accepting the joke as it was intended. "Yes, well in fact I prefer twinkies."

Clark leans over and whispers in Victor's ear. "He's addicted to them actually. You should see him when we run out and he goes cold turkey. The saying run for the hills was invented for that situation."

"I see you are as humorous as always Superman," Hank replies wryly.

"Hey. It's what I do."

Forge shakes Victor's hand next.

Victor looks at him, disbelieving of the fact this guy is going to help him. "No offence but you look younger than I am."

"As matter of fact, technically I'm in my mid 50s," Forge makes the truthful point of how old he is if you use his actual birth date."

"Forge spent close to 40 years in a pocket dimension where time didn't exist so he didn't age," Clark explains the meaning of that to Victor.

"I'm just going to take your word for that. Can we get this over with?" Victor asks, impatient to be out of this place he finds extremely uncomfortable as quickly as possible.

"Certainly," Beast agrees.

"Start with the x-ray," Clark suggests. "And then I'll explain everything," he promises to do what he felt wasn't entirely safe to do so over the phone, especially if Victor is being hunted.

Hank leads Victor to lie down on the sliding slab of the x-ray machine. Star Labs does research in all areas, medical as well which is why they have a complete compliment of medical scanners. For someone like Hank it was like a paradise.

They all step back behind the protective screen to the controls and Hank activates the machine. It doesn't take very long for the first images to pop up and, when he sees what is inside Victor, Hank can only remark, in complete astonishment, "Oh my stars and garters!"

* * *

_Author's Note: I had to trade out Lana for Chloe and Lois that hit Victor and of course add Lionel trying to get his hands on Victor but apart from that I want to try and keep as much of the general flow of the episode as possible. My team name poll remains open. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Cyborg part 2._


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

**The Daily Planet...**

Andrea was still a long way from the Tiffany lamps of the top floor where the best of the best of the reporters of the Planet were but the saying working your way to the top was literal here. You started in the basement and worked your way up floor by floor so yeah she was out of the basement and up to the grand height of the 1st floor after her story revolving around Bart where she never named him.

Andrea likes to try and believe Clark, who keeps telling her she's a great writer. Perhaps she is but she knows she has limits. For example she's competent when it comes to computers but if she is going to get to the real truth behind SynTechnics she needs an expert computer hacker and who else is she going to call but her friend Chloe Sullivan...who may be Andrea's closest friend after Clark.

So despite her blond friend's own exciting evening Andrea felt she had to call Chloe and as usual the perky young reporter agreed to help with her usual overwhelming enthusiasm about digging her teeth into a juicy story. Andrea's just waiting for her to get here. She hears Chloe approach. "I don't mean to press you Chloe but we need to..." she trails off as she spins round in her chair and spots Chloe is not alone. "Uh, hello Lois," Andrea says with no strength in her voice as it deserts her. She pushes her glasses up her nose and plays up her mild-mannerness.

"Hi!" Lois says with over-the-top false sweetness.

Andrea looks to Chloe.

"She eavesdropped on our phone call," the blond explains with a harsh glare and a cold tone aimed at her cousin for doing that.

"With perfect justification. He totalled **my **car," Lois defends her actions.

"Lois," Andrea addresses her. "Why are you here?" she gets straight to it.

"To help."

Andrea looks sceptical.

"I am," Lois insists. "I heard everything you said to Chloe. They did these terrible things to this guy and are trying to cover it up. I have a thing against cover-ups," she says with deadly seriousness. "Especially after the military covered up the whole aliens landing, killing people dealy."

Andrea looks to Chloe and mouths, 'Aliens?'

Chloe places a hand over her eyes. "It's complicated."

Lois objects to her cousin's description. "What's complicated about it? Aliens landed during the meteor shower and the military covered it up." It's perfectly simple to Lois. After all she saw it all and still wakes up in cold sweats because of it.

"You're not going to get rid of her so might as well accept the help," Chloe lays it down.

"Ok, fine," Andrea accepts the help. "Thank you for your help, Lois," she adds to keep up appearances of being polite. "Shall we get started?"

Lois nods, a beaming smile on her face but a determination in her eye.

Andrea rises to her feet and gently pulls Chloe aside for a word. "Aliens?" she repeats her question from earlier in a whisper.

Chloe tells Andrea what Lois says about it. The ship, the aliens and what they did, devastating that military unit sent to secure the ship.

"Did she hit her head?" Andrea asks.

"Yes, actually," Chloe confirms Lois indeed hit her head during the meteor shower.

"So you humour her," Andrea assumes, taking an understandably sceptical view on what Lois is saying and assuming that the older girl imagined it thanks to a concussion.

Chloe purses her lips. How to explain without giving away Clark's secret. "She's my cousin. I support her. If she says she saw an alien spaceship then I believe her."

"My mom always said something like that to me," Andrea mentions about how her mom always would stand behind her and Chloe can see and hear the overwhelming sadness Andrea still retains over it.

"Any mention of a trial date for Snake yet?" Chloe wonders.

Andrea shakes her head. "Nothing concrete. His lawyers...well you know lawyers," she complains slightly even though she realises they are simply doing their job but it is her mother's murderer they're talking about here.

Chloe smiles thinly. "Yep," she says and gives Andrea a supporting pat on the superpowered girl's extremely solid shoulder. Yeesh, you wouldn't like to be shoulder charged by her. It's not that Andrea is powerfully built, she's not. She is simply that strong. "Come on. Lets get to work."

Andrea agrees but as she sits herself back down her thoughts are dominated by one thing. Aliens? Really? Sorry, she means no offence but she isn't buying that any more than she would think Clark is one.

* * *

**Star Labs...**

The last hour had been quite a revelation for Hank McCoy as he examined Victor. He had also been quite reviled to think people who called themselves doctors did this to an innocent boy.

"How is he?" Clark asks Beast as Victor is in an MRI machine so Hank can get a detailed scan to see how the bionics tie into what remains of Victor's organic self.

"That is a very good question," Hank says with a small chuckle. "To be honest Clark cybernetics is not my specialist field...and what I'm seeing in front of me is...I thought this sort of replacement technology was still at least a decade away."

Clark has a thought. "Victor mentioned a Dr Hong helped him escape. What if I found him and brought him here? That would help, right?"

"Having one of the members of the team who did this, certainly," Hank confirms it would be a big aid. Hank could pick the man's brain.

"And if he is willing to testify what SynTechnics did that would at least be leverage we can use against them if we can't properly get them held to account."

Always thinking how to help others. That's Clark. "It certainly can't hurt," Hank says in response.

Clark nods. Before he goes to let Victor know what he is doing he spots Forge off to the side, writing and drawing away, smiling cheerfully to himself. It seems seeing Victor has given Forge a creative spurt since from what Clark can see Forge's drawings are all related to cybernetics. "Having fun, Forge?"

"Yes!"

"Really?" Clark asks in a certain tone that gets Forge to stop and look at the tall teen. Clark has folded his arms across his chest and is giving Forge a slight unamused expression.

"Not at your friend's expense!" Forge insists. "But, well, you know me. Once I see something new..."

"You have to write down your fifty ideas on how to improve it," Clark fills in, knowing full well what Forge is like.

"I always have ideas. They never stop coming," Forge points out the burden of his powers.

"Too many ideas, Forge. You keep jumping from one invention to the next before you finish the previous one."

"I know," Forge says with a slightly pensive expression. "I'm working on it," he explains how he is trying to get himself more focussed.

Clark just takes that at face value before zipping into the MRI scanner room to talk to Victor. He bends down to peer inside. "Victor."

"Yeah?" Victor replies.

"I'm going to see if I can track this Dr Hong you mentioned down to help. Will you be ok here with my friends?"

"I'll be just peachy," Victor drawls with a sarcastic edge.

Clark smiles trying to be supportive. He pats Victor on the leg. "Hang in there. We'll get you your life back, I promise."

And with that Clark vanishes in a gust of wind.

* * *

**The Daily Planet...**

While Chloe was trying to hack her way into SynTechnics computers, Lois and Andrea were researching their way through the Planet's extensive archives.

"So, on a scale from one to Taye Diggs, where exactly are we?" Lois asks Andrea about where Victor's physical appearance measures. She never really got a good chance to evaluate him before, considering she was slightly dazed after crashing into him.

Andrea pauses, her brow dropping slightly. She turns her head, pushes her glasses up her nose and responds with a well practised stutter, "I-I'm not sure what you mean."

"Boy, you need to date more," Lois critiques. "How hot is he?"

"Um, I'm not really good at that sort of thing but if you want an opinion he's up there," Andrea offers.

"Yeah? Tall, dark, and bionic. You think he likes busty brunettes?" Lois queries for herself.

Behind Lois' back Chloe rolls her eyes.

"I felt that eye roll, Chlo," Lois tells her cousin off.

"I...he mentioned a girlfriend, sorry," Andrea apologises as she answers Lois' question.

Lois sighs. "Course he did. I never get a shot at the good ones."

"You got that right," Chloe mutters.

"What was that Chlo?"

"I think you heard me."

"Something you want to say, Chloe. Go right ahead," Lois permits her cousin as she turns to face her younger cousin. "I'm a big girl. I can take it," she assures Chloe.

Chloe looks to Andrea. "You familiar with Avalanche from the Brotherhood of Mutants?"

"Vaguely," Andrea says, recalling the story when it broke.

Chloe jabs a finger in Lois' direction. "One night stand."

Andrea looks at Lois, her eyebrows high in surprise.

"I didn't know who he was!" Lois defends herself. "Although we certainly made the earth move," she boasts in sultry tones and a waggle of her eyebrows.

"Too much information, Lois," Chloe complains. "I keep telling ya."

"Look, just because your first time was a let down..."

Chloe cuts in. "Whoa! I never said that!" Although it was a complete let down, Chloe will confess.

Lois continues regardless of Chloe's protests. "Lots of people's first times are a disappointment, Chloe. Mine included. We learn from it and move on. There's no need to keep being in a sulk about it."

"I'm not in a sulk," Chloe argues.

Lois looks to Andrea. "Back me up here," she requests.

Andrea looks uncomfortable at this. Half in act. Half because, yeesh it's been awhile since she last had a boyfriend. She says, "Lois is right, Chloe. My first time...yeah, not very memorable. I certainly don't recall the earth moving."

"Besides I'm certain that Bobby you like will be better," Lois says on the hopeful side.

"I cannot believe I'm having this discussion right now," Chloe mutters. "Aren't we trying to help Victor?" she asks, trying to get them all back focussed on that.

"Right, right," Lois agrees. "My point is Chloe just because you're in a sulk is no need to be a downer on everyone else's love life, ok?"

Chloe sighs. "Ok, Lois...but for the record I object to the accusation I'm in a sulk."

"Duly noted."

"Does his girlfriend know what actually happened to Victor?" Chloe wonders, getting back on topic.

Andrea shakes her head. "Katherine? No. She doesn't even know he's alive. He doesn't want her to know. He's afraid how she'll react to what he is now."

"Well, assuming he grows a pair and sees her again, what's he gonna do, just keep lying to her and hope that she doesn't notice how different he is?" Lois asks, sceptically. There is no way she can see how anyone could keep something like that hidden from someone you're close to.

Chloe freezes, a little uncomfortable. Clark's keeping that whole alien thing from Andrea still and considering how smart she is Chloe has to imagine she'll begin to put it together that Clark doesn't fit into the mutant category. "So," she says, quickly moving things on. "So, from what I've managed to dig up so far in SynTechnics' backyard I've come up with more flowers than dirt. What about you guys?"

"Same," Andrea says with a grumpy frown born of frustration.

"Yeah," Lois says with the same feeling. "The only thing I found is when they released a statement a few years back saying their main focus had become the Machina project. 'Cutting-edge prosthetics designed to replace damaged or severed limbs'."

"From what Cl-Superman," Andrea almost slips. "From what Superman said before he left what they did to Victor was a little more extensive than a severed limb."

Lois cocks her head to the side curiously. "Yeah. How did he just happen to turn up?" she asks.

Chloe saves the day. "I phoned him when you were trying to get us discharged."

"Ok," Lois accepts. "But how did he know what was inside Victor?"

"Uh, um," both Chloe and Andrea try to stall.

There is a sudden gust of wind. "A hero has to have some secrets Ms Lane."

Lois almost jumps out her skin. She then takes a moment to fix her hair and straighten out her clothes.

Chloe watches this though narrowed eyes. Lois only does that when she's about to meet someone she likes...ut oh!

Lois turns, flashing a warm smile the way of the red and blue clad hero. "Superman! What a pleasant surprise."

"Wow, really?" Superman fakes surprise. "You're one of a rare few who think so."

Chloe rolls her eyes at him. "So how's Victor doing?"

"He's been better. Still trying to come to term with has happened to him. How about you guys?"

"We've, uh, we've been better too," Andrea says in that small, timid voice she puts on.

"Yeah, we're not finding much dirt on SynTechnics," Chloe has to regretfully inform him.

"I'm sure you're doing your best. For the moment I just need a favour. There was a doctor who helped Victor escape; Dr Hong. Can you rummage up where he lives for me?" he asks. Clark could do it himself no problem but doesn't quite have access to a computer right now.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Chloe says.

"That won't be a problem," Lois promises...and Clark has to look oddly at her because he swears she just fluttered her eyelashes at him. Nah, he's imagining it.

Lois goes to aid Chloe and Clark bends down next to Andrea and whispers, "What is Lois doing here?" He never expected to see her.

"She eavesdropped on my phone call to Chloe," Andrea whispers back.

"Oh, super," Clark mutters sarcastically. He only wishes he could be surprised. "How's it going really?" he wants to know just in case she couldn't say in front of Lois.

"I did find out who owns SynTechnics...and you're not going to like it," she warns him.

"I never do."

"18 months ago it was bought by Luthorcorp."

"Lionel," Clark growls in anger. "It was last winter Victor 'died'. Lionel must have started this project. Probably another way to try and save his life," Clark can make the educated guess.

"I don't understand."

"Lionel was dying of an unknown liver disease. Professor Xavier managed to find that out. He should be dead by now but somehow he's not. It does explain how Lionel knew where to send his men for Victor but why now?" Clark wonders. Why at this particular moment in time?

Andrea shrugs, unable to give an answer.

"Did Lex purchase it along with the other Luthorcorp assets?" Clark wants to know.

Andrea nods. "Yes. It's part of Lexcorp now."

Clark had a feeling she would say that. What in the world has happened to the man Clark use to call his friend? "Once I find Dr Hong, perhaps Nightwing and Superman need to have a few words with Lex," he proposes to her.

The timid demeanour slips and the dark, seriousness blazes through Andrea's disguise. "That might be a good idea," she agrees, with her voice dropping to the gravelly Nightwing tone.

Lois frowns deeply wondering what it is Superman and Andrea would have to talk about in whispers like that.

"I have that address!" Chloe announces as she prints it off.

"I'll get this doctor and come back," Clark says to Andrea to give her time to shake off Lois so she can change into her costume.

Andrea nods in agreement.

Superman takes the piece of paper with the address and memorises it instantly. "Thank you Chloe, Ms Lane..."

"Lois, please!" she insists he call her.

"Lois, Ms Rojas. Thank you again. You've been a big help."

Andrea pretends to be flattered if not embarrassed by his praise. All part of the act. "I-it's no problem," she stammers. "We-we're happy to help."

Clark has to suppress a chuckle at Andrea's acting. It's so weird to see what he does on occasion like that. He vanishes in a gust of wind.

* * *

**Star Labs...**

Until Clark returned with Dr Hong there were no further tests to be done and Hank was simply observing Victor as he sat there chewing on some slightly stale dohnuts.

"Still need to eat?" Hank queries from the young man.

Victor nods. "Yeah. My bionics can do a lot but they haven't completely replaced me yet."

Hank can hear the anger and bitterness and almost loathing at what he is. In fact he's heard it before from other mutants...for awhile from himself when he hated what he was becoming. "Sorry we don't have more but we can order in if you desire a pizza or something."

"Compared to the sludge they fed me at SynTechnics this is heaven," Victor compares it to.

"We shall find a satisfactory solution, Victor," Hank promises the young man. "Superman can be very determined when he sets his mind to something."

"I have to ask. It seems a little obvious to say that S thing on his chest equates to Superman..."

Hank smiles a little. "It's not meant to be an S. It resembles one so the Daily Bugle decided to give him what they thought an appropriate name to what they mistakenly thought it was. To him it really matters little what they call him. He deems his actions more important."

Victor chews that over for a short time. "May I ask a personal question?"

"Of course," Hank permits.

"How do you live with being so...different?" Victor asks and hopes not to be offensive.

"It's a process. It was difficult at first. It took much time to adjust but eventually I realised I had a choice how to live my life and my appearance did not take that away."

Victor scoffs. "Choice? What's mine? Being a can opener or a Cuinisart?"

Hank can see the young man has a long way to go to come to terms with his pain. "Being different is only a burden if you let it be."

"Yeah?" Victor asks, an aggressiveness in his tone that Hank will not rise to.

"We all find ways to cope Victor, to keep us going."

Victor's aggression fades and his head drops. "My way was Katherine. She's what kept me going all those months in that lab, the thought of holding her in my arms again," he say with deep emotion.

"Trish Tilby. She's an investigative reporter and my current beau I am delighted to say. She looks past what you see on the surface and admires me for the...man I am."

Victor looks up with a surprise he can't hide at hearing this. If this Tilby lady can deal maybe Katherine...just maybe she can cope with what Victor is.

"If you will allow it I must make mention of this to her. She so enjoys an investigation where she gets to roast the disreputable members of our society alive."

"She sounds like quite a woman," Victor remarks.

"She is."

A determination rises up inside Victor. He rises to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Hank asks with confusion at Victor's sudden actions.

"To find my girl. I don't know what I'm gonna tell her, but at least I can..." Victor stops as the lights flicker and fail.

Hank looks up with an unsettling feeling. Buildings like this, their power just doesn't fail like that.

Forge then sticks his head in the door looking extremely agitated. "We've got a problem!" he announces with intense seriousness.

Victor and Hank follow the young native American into an auxiliary security office on this floor. The cameras are still up on emergency power and what they see from the exterior ones are armed men coming in from every direction.

"Oh dear," Hank says in a great understatement.

"They've found me," Victor says with foreboding and fear at being captured and sent back to that lab.

"It's impossible. They can't have known you were here," Hank says. He can't think of a way they could have discovered it.

"It really doesn't matter now, does it. They have the place surrounded," Victor says, sounding defeated.

"Don't give up yet," Hank says, trying to keep Victor encouraged.

"They have guns!" Victor argues.

"Ah but we have something much better. We have our intellects," Hank argues back.

"Not gonna be enough."

"And a friend to call on."

"What friend?"

Hank clears his throat and shouts. "Superman! We require your assistance!"

Victor looks at the large mutant like he's lost it. "You can't possibly expect..."

"Oh he'll hear me. We just have to hope he isn't distracted with something else."

"And if he is."

"Intellect," Hank repeats confidently...and as time passes with no Superman Hank feels his confidence is about to be put to the test.

* * *

**Outside the Hong Residence...**

Superman drops out of superspeed in a nice suburb of Metropolis. Apparently working for an amoral company pays well. It's quiet. There is only a couple of vans driving away round a corner at the far end of the street.

Clark's phone rings. Of all the timing in the world. He spots the ID and answers it. "Andi?"

"Clark. Where are you?"

"At Dr Hong's like I said. Why do I hear wind? Are you on your scooter?"

"Did you just snigger when you said scooter?"

"Me? Nooooo. Not me. I mean what's funny about the biker chick, scary vigilante Nightwing driving around on a flame pink scooter?"

"Stop laughing Clark!"

Ok so he might be laughing a little.

"And it's not flame pink!" Andrea insists.

"Yes, it is...but hey it totally suits your soft, caring, girlie personality. I'm certain you even have the outfit that's colour coordinated to go with it," he continues to tease her.

Clark can hear the scowl over the phone. "It happens to be all I can afford. I do have to pay my way through college if I want to keep my job."

"I know," Clark says more seriously. He knows full well she has to attend college to get her journalism degrees. He'll have to do that too one day if he wants a career. "Anyway what are you doing on your scooter?" he asks as he walks up the driveway towards the house. "I said I'd be back."

"After you left it occurred to me I let you go off into an unknown situation without back up so I made an excuse and left."

"You've really got this over-protectiveness thing down don't you. Have you picked out my kiddie harness yet? I prefer them in blue," he jokes.

"Clark," she says warningly.

"I'm touched really...but I can look after myself."

"Did I say you couldn't? It's just smarter and safer to have back-up."

"I...hang on. Something's wrong."

"What?" Andrea asks with a slither of worry.

Clark's sensitive hearing picks it up. "I can hear an engine running in the garage." He activates his x-ray vision and when he sees what's inside he rapidly opens the door and blurs to the driver's side. He opens the door and turns the engine off. He coughs. Clark reaches for the neck of the man sitting in the driver's seat to feel for a pulse. There isn't one. He lifts the man out and places him on the floor and performs CPR but to no avail. It's too late.

"Clark, what's happening?" Andrea asks, her anxiousness growing at his prolonged silence.

Clark picks up his phone. "I've found who I think is Dr Hong. He's dead," he grimly reports.

"Dead? How?"

"Sealed garage with the engine running. Carbon Monoxide poisoning would be my guess...and there's a note," he had noticed. He leans back into the car and picks it up.

"What does it say?"

"It says. 'I'm sorry'."

"Suicide?" Andrea queries that perhaps the guilt of what he did was too great.

Clark bends down and sniffs. The fumes almost cover it up but not quite. "I don't think so. I can smell several people, male, they were here very recently."

"Murder," Andrea's tone goes as cold as ice.

"Looks like...the vans!"

"What?"

"When I got here there were a couple of vans just turning the corner," Clark tells her as he blurs back outside. Those vans...it must have been them! And he just let them drive off! "I think they'll be coming in your direction but I can catch them first."

"Don't do anything stupid Clark!"

"You know me."

"That's why I said it!"

"If that's your sense of humour it needs work," he teases her. "I'll be careful," he says more seriously before he zips off after those vans.

* * *

The 2 vans aren't driving away too rapidly. They're not aiming to bring undue attention to themselves from the police.

However they do have the attention of one certain young superhero who is rapidly catching them up.

The driver of the rear van spots the blurred figure in his mirror. "Shit," he swears, knowing enough to recognise the figure. They had been warned he might interfere. "We've got company," he says to his companions up front with him.

They too look in the mirror. "Superman," one of them says with annoyance. He uses his radio to contact the leader in the van in front of then. "We've got a super stalker."

"Delay him. I'll power up the surprise Mr Luthor sent us for him," the leader directs.

"Yes sir," the man replies before he bangs on the thin metal behind him, separating him from the rest of the team in the back. "We've got a freak on our tail!" he yells. "Give him the BIG greeting!"

Superman could overtake them easily but he is waiting for the right place to do so. They are still going through suburban streets with normal residential houses on either side. Luckily up ahead he can see they are nearing the edge of it with empty waste ground beyond. That is where he'll stop them and in case they want to be difficult there will be less possibility of collateral damage.

Superman never gets his chance because the back doors are thrown open and he spots several men with what looks like a mixture of bazookas and rocket-propelled grenades.

"Have these guys never heard of overkill?" he asks nobody in particular.

They fire and for him he can see the projectiles move through the air as if in slow motion. He can't risk them hitting a nearby home so moving as fast he can he does a mixture of catching them, punching them, causing them to explode or just letting them hit him. Considering he has survived direct hits by missiles(although that stung like the dickens) this is not that high up the scale of things that hit him.

When his attackers need a moment to reload Superman accelerates forward, lets out a short blast of super-breath to knock them over momentarily, slams the doors shut and welds them closed with his heat vision.

That done he rushes forward to the front of the van, rips the hood off before literally ripping the engine block out and throwing it aside...safely. The van rolls to a stop. "Oh dear. I think you guys have some engine trouble!" he says with mock sympathy. "I think it needs a tune up!" he quips.

He then welds the two front doors shut. Sure they could smash their way out the windows but he won't be long. Just has to stop that other van first. Superman turns to find it is actually coming to a stop. He blurs over to a few meters behind it, being a little cautious...more than a little actually because one thing he has discovered in this merry little chase is that the vans are lined with lead...which is either a massive coincidence or someone knows he can't see through it.

That's a pretty small list of people who know and almost all of them Clark trusts. Considering everything that's been happening lately the top of Clark's short list would be that these guys work for Lionel. To be extra safe he activates the switch on his belt to activate the suit's protective layer that shields him against kryptonite.

A couple of guys get out the front of the van and start walking towards Superman, hands in the air.

"We surrender!" one of them offers.

Superman's eyes narrow. There is something in the tone that says otherwise. A cocky arrogance.

Up above to Superman's right is an elevated highway and peering down is Andrea. Even riding her scooter(which is so not flame pink by the way!) she had heard the explosions and now she can see Clark approaching the 2nd van, the two men with their arms in the air. Something is about this is wrong. In her gut she feels it.

Before she can shout a warning one of the men bangs on the side of the van and in the next instance the rear doors are literally disintegrated away by an enormous beam of pinkish energy. It strikes Superman and that is the last she sees of him as he vanishes amongst the blinding, intense beam.

And Andrea...all she can do is stand there, cold horror filling her veins. She watched her mother die and now she just stands there again, watching someone else she cares for die and she doesn't move. She just stands there, frozen except for her voice which is screaming in a strangled voice of horror, "NOOOO!"

* * *

_Author's Note: Two different groups of armed men but who is working for whom. Now there's a question. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; Cyborg part 3._


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

**Star Labs...**

Whoever the armed men were coming after Victor they had split into small teams and were searching the Star Labs building floor by floor, room by room. The few security guards on duty had already been taken by surprise and easily subdued.

One group opens a door.

_Click!_

One of the men swears and before they can get out of the way a pressurised gas cylinder smashes through the door and knocks them all flying. It had been rigged to let the gas out the moment the door opened which propelled the tank at great speed and force.

That's one small group down. Several more to go.

Another group opens a door only for the old classic prank of a bucket dumping something on you from above. Only this something happens to be a superstrength adhesive and the men are soon stuck to each other, the floor, the door, the wall etc etc.

The next group kick in the door and storm the room and find themselves aiming their flashlights into the face of a young native American man wearing massively outdated clothes. He waves at them. "Hi. No-one here except me...and this rather groovy MRI machine. MRI; stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. I make mention of this to emphasise the first word there. Magnetic. You know you'd be amazed just what sort of magnetic field you can generate with this after you tinker with it a little." The man grins, holds up his hand in which is a remote and he presses the button...and everything metal in the room is instantly drawn to the machine, including the heavily armed men with metal on their weapons and their clothes.

Forge must say it's a funny image to see them pinned helpless against the side of the machine. You know this hero stuff really is kinda fun he muses to himself as he heads for the exit and the next trap.

He steps out the door...and his head connects with a gun butt that is smashed into him with great force.

The group of men stand over the now unconscious figure.

"Do we tag him?" one of them asks, using a rather mundane term for proposing murdering him.

"Forget him," is the reply. "We are only here for the target. Luthor wanted a body count avoided...but if it makes you feel better you can tie him up," is the making fun reply.

The first man ignores it and uses zip ties to tie Forge up. That done they continue their hunt for the target.

* * *

The target...or Victor as he much prefers is on the edge, pacing nervously as Beast makes work on another little surprise for their hunters in one of the labs. The other 'surprises' Forge and he came up with will only slow them down so long. Hank is working on a permanent solution to incapacitate their 'guests'.

"I'd almost rather fight them than just stand here waiting," Victor says, his voice tense and angry.

"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting," Beast quotes. "Sun Tzu," he informs Victor who said it. "Now could you please hold still, this is very delicate work," Beast requests of Victor as he mixes some potent chemicals together. "I must get the balance precisely correct."

"What are you making?"

"A little concoction that, when vaporised, will send our not so friendly guests to the land of nod."

"A sleeping gas?"

"In a way, yes."

Victor is not even going to pretend he understands what it is Beast is doing. He'll just keep an eye on the door...which in theory is a really sound idea except for the part where it's just broken down.

Victor reacts instinctively in charging at them. Gunfire goes off before he smashes into them and using his now superhuman strength throws them around without any grace. In many ways he tackles them like the football player he was. When it's over he groans in pain.

Hank moves over quickly to find a thick blue liquid leaking from Victor's right arm. "You're hurt," he exclaims.

"Damaged would be more like it," Victor corrects Beast. One the bullets hit home in the worst place possible.

"Normally I would say we need to get you seen to but you remember what I was saying about getting the balance of my concoction correct?"

"Yeah?" Victor asks, not sure where this is going.

Hank looks back at the table he was working at.

Victor follows the gaze and sees the glass jars and now all shattered and the contents within all mixed together on the worktop. "How bad?"

"We should move these fine gentlemen, find Forge and then run for our lives!" Hank says with much emphasis on that last bit.

Victor looks at him.

"It's a slow burn reaction but I'd say we have...roughly 4 minutes and 27 seconds."

"Roughly?" Victor queries wryly cause that sounds pretty accurate to him.

"Indeed. Will you manage?" Hank asks.

"I'll just have to," Victor says as he helps Hank move these guys. They also have to find Forge and try and persuade the other men present the danger there is in and there is almost certainly not enough time.

**4 minutes and 27 seconds later...**

The Star Labs building is about a dozen stories tall. From the outside all is quiet until suddenly, the floor about half way up is consumed by explosions. Fire spreads rapidly to the surrounding floors and all the time there is no sign of anyone escaping.

* * *

The day her mother died Andrea froze...ok she had been stabbed in the heart but in her head she froze and right now she has frozen again, watching as Clark vanishes into the beam of energy. The beam fades and a huge trench has been carved out into the road.

Andrea blinks. There are spots in her vision but there, lying in the trench is a figure in red and blue. A figure that isn't moving.

Down below the men responsible chuckle a little in triumph at seeing the young superhero down.

"Well I'll be damned," one of them says.

"Not quite yet but you're getting there," a reply says in a pained groan and they all blink in total disbelief as Superman rolls himself over and pushes himself to his feet. His suit is singed and blackened in places but he himself looks remarkably unharmed.

"Fire that thing again!" the leader yells with great volume and urgency.

Another blast fires from it and smashes into Superman...only this time he is more prepared for it. He raises his arms in front of his face, his feet dig into the ground as he slides backward until he stops...and then takes one slow, determined step forward followed by another followed by another as he pushes against the beam.

Everyone's attention is focussed on Superman so no-one sees the slender figure falling out the sky that hits the van roof and goes right through it. A second later the weapon responsible for this shuts off. A few seconds after the men in the back are thrown, literally, through the sides of the vans.

The leader curses this situation. "Ah sh..." he begins to swear only to be cut off when Superman blurs up to him and clamps a hand over his mouth. "Tsk, tsk. I won't have that sort of sailor talk. There are ladies present," he chastises the man before flicking the guy with his free hand and knocking him out.

A quick burst of superbreath sends the other man flying into the side of the van knocking him out.

Clark blows out a breath before he steps round the back of the van and examines the energy canon weapon housed there. He recognises this technology.

He'll deal with that in a second. He hops up into the back to thank his helper. She hadn't even had time to change into her costume. "Andi?" he queries softly.

Andrea turns to face him, anguish and anger clearly written on her face. To Clark's immense surprise she throws herself at him, her head pressed into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. It takes Clark a moment to realise she is shaking and more than that she is crying into his chest.

Clark holds her. "Shh, hey, it's alright," he assures her as he strokes her back and runs his hand through her hair.

He can't quite make out everything she is saying but gets a few words from between her muffled sobs. Worlds like "I thought I lost you..." and many utterances of "Oh God..."

Clark drops a kiss on the top of her head. "Come on now. You already drive a flame pink scooter. If people see you cry then Nightwing's image will be completely ruined."

It gets her to look up at him with a mixture of relief...and bafflement.

Clark wipes the tears off her face with his thumb. "I hate to see pretty ladies cry," he says with his goofy grin.

For that she smacks him on the chest...hard!

"OW!" Clark cries. "What was that for?" he asks as he rubs his chest. Jeez that woman could hit.

"It's all your fault! Why do have to be so damn noble! Couldn't you wait! I was right there!" she shouts at him.

Clark can guess what is driving this. He takes her by the shoulders. "Andi. Look at me," he implores her and she does. "I'm fine. It takes a lot more than that to kill me. I'm sorry if I worried you."

Andrea looks at him with a fearsome scowl.

Clark had seen that one used before. In or out of the mask it really is quite something. He simply looks at her with a soft, caring and understanding look and waits for her temper to calm. He smiles gently.

_'Why is he smiling? What's there to smile about?'_ Andrea asks herself. He keeps on doing it and giving her the old soft, puppy dog eyes routine. She looks away from his gaze. "I thought...like mom..." she says, her voice so fragile and brittle it hardly sounds like her at all.

Clark pulls her tight against him again. That's what he thought it was about. "I'm not leaving you," he says in a quiet tone yet one that gets across how he means that absolutely. "Ok?"

Andrea nods against his chest.

"And as much as I enjoy hugging as the next person there are a lot of bad guys and a super dangerous weapon to deal with. Where's your costume?"

Nightwing's seriousness and focus takes over Andrea. "Still up on the highway with my scooter. There wasn't time."

"I'll get them. Stay here out of sight," Clark instructs her.

With that he vanishes with his gust of wind as Andrea pulls herself together and wipes the last of her tears from her eyes. She knows she should be stronger than this but when she saw Clark vanish...god she was terrified that she had lost him.

Andrea swallows. To feel such pain must mean she has come to feel something pretty powerful for Clark but she doesn't want to feel such pain again. This just reinforces her belief she is right in not pursuing a relationship with him.

In reality she should spend less time with him...no. That idea hurts too.

"God I am such a mess," she mutters to herself in Spanish. "Mom, I wish you were still here. I could use your advice," she whispers.

"Here," Clark's voice interrupts.

Andrea turns as he throws her bag with her costume in it to her.

Clark turns his back from her and allows her to get changed. He's so not thinking about her shedding her clothes and standing in naught but her...dammit!

This is not helping. He thought she was a rebound and that his feelings would fade but they're not. Clark doesn't know what to do about it though. As Rogue would only too willingly testify to a relationship with him has its...complications and he doesn't think it right to drop them on Andrea. She has enough. Coming to terms with her mother's death. Hell somewhere down the road there's Snake's trial she has to cope with.

Clark shakes his head. He turns his attention to keeping an eye on all these guys in the 2 vans in case they try and make a run for it...for the ones who are still conscious.

It is only a few minutes at most before Nightwing hops down from the van, looking as impressive as ever in that costume.

"Ok so what in the world is that thing?" she wants to know jerking her thumb at the energy cannon.

"It's an energy cannon off a Sentinel...but since myself and the X-Men trashed them and then the government seized the remains my question is where did these guys get it from?"

Andrea's expression grow vicious and she cracks her knuckles. "Leave that to me," she says. "Which one do you think is in charge?"

Clark points at the one who ordered that the weapon be fired at him again. The one Clark knocked out.

Nightwing strides over purposefully, picks the man up off the ground and shakes him awake. "Wake up!" she growls in her low gravelly voice.

Clark wonders how she pulls it off. She sounds like she is gargling gravel.

The man wakes up to find himself physically lifted off the ground looking down into the masked woman.

"We're going to have a chat. I want to know who you are working for and what you are up to?"

The man fixes her a defiant glare. "Look Lady I ain't tellin ya a thing...and there is nothing you can do to me to make me."

Nightwing smiles dangerously. "Oh you are so mistaken...and you will tell me what I want to know," she vows.

The look, the voice, the man may not think he can be intimidated yet he is pretty certain he just gulped in fear.

* * *

**Star Labs...**

Henry McCoy can definitely say he has had better nights. His fur is singed and sooted. Have you ever tried to get smoke and soot out of fur? It's going to take days. Beyond the trivial there is the fact a large proportion of the Star Labs building was now on fire.

The emergency services were now here. He wasn't getting any looks of great love from them. In fact he's a little surprised they haven't pinned the blame on him and tried to arrest him along with the armed men who stormed the building who are currently sitting on the ground in groups hands cuffed behind their backs.

There is a gust of wind and Hank turns to find both Superman and a woman dressed in black with an angel's wings design on her red top have appeared.

"What happened?" Superman asks as he takes in the scene.

"I believe I could ask you the same question," Hank remarks as he points at the state of Superman's suit.

Clark looks down at himself and notices his tattered appearance for the first time. "Oh right," he says as he fingers one of the holes in his jacket. "Long story but it involved a van based Sentinel energy cannon."

Hank becomes deeply concerned at hearing this. "And Dr Hong?" he queries after who Clark went after.

"Dead," the woman says coldly. "Murdered."

Hank closes his eyes momentarily in sadness. Such utter waste. He looks at the woman. "I do not believe I've had the pleasure Ms...?"

"Nightwing. This is Nightwing," Superman introduces her. "Nightwing, Dr Henry McCoy," he introduces his teacher to her as he holds his hand out in Beast's direction.

This was the Andrea Clark talked about and talked to often. Henry had several times passed Clark when he was on the phone to her. Hank holds his hand out. "Delighted to meet you," he says politely.

Nightwing folds her arms across her chest in response.

"Sorry," Clark apologises. "We're working on her manners," he says with a teasing grin.

Nightwing shoots him a scowl.

"I take this is why you didn't hear me shout on you?"

Clark looks confused. "You shouted?"

Hank nods.

"Must have been exactly when they shot me with that cannon. I couldn't hear anything but the roar of it trying to disintegrate my molecules. Sorry," he apologises.

"Apologies are unnecessary," Beast assures Clark.

"So what happened here?" Clark asks.

Beast explains the story of what has transpired and Clark in return tells his story including what Andrea managed to get out of the leader. They just finished dropping that lot off with the police with a note explaining everything. Hopefully there is enough evidence to tie them into Dr Hong's murder. At the very least there shouldn't be an issue of tying them to the fact they were in possession of a weapon of mass destruction.

"Lionel Luthor," Hank says the name of who the group Clark met worked for.

"It partially explains where the cannon came from," Clark accepts. "Lionel helped fund the building of the Sentinels. Who knows how much technical information he still retains about them. Only not how Lionel managed to build this weapon. I think, if we get a chance, we really need to examine it more closely to see if we can find where it was made and hopefully where Lionel is."

Hank couldn't argue that desire but whether they will be alloed is another question. "And Dr Hong, they killed him when he refused to aid them catch Victor," Hank summarises the reasons behind the man's death that Nightwing managed to extract from the leader.

"Yep. That's what he said. Nightwing can be very...persuasive," Clark phrases it as...although he is massively playing down just the scale of the fright she put on that guy to make him sing like a canary. Clark then looks around. "Where is Victor...and Forge?"

"Forge is away to the hospital. Concussion," Hank replies. "And as for Victor I'm afraid we were separated during the explosion but we must find him...soon," he says with much urgency.

"Why?" Nightwing asks.

"He was hit by gunfire on the arm and was leaking battery fluid. Once it falls to a certain level his bionics will shut down."

"Which will mean what?"

"As I said to Superman previously I'm not a cybernetics expert," Hank cautions beforehand that he can't be 100% certain of what he is about to say is accurate. "However from what I can tell what remains of his biology is tied in to the bionics. They essentially sustain him now. They shut down..."

"And he dies," Clark finishes it.

"Can you repair it?" Nightwing asks. "If we find him."

"Two issues," Hank warns. "One; the facility I would use has just been severely damaged and two; like I just said, not an expert and Forge is in no condition to help."

"Who can?" Clark asks.

Hank thinks. "Some of the power systems of the bionics are familiar to me. I've seen them on schematics. Particularly the ones Domino managed to procure from Tony Stark."

"Lionel's armour," Clark remembers what was on that data. "Makes some sense they would be sharing the technology."

"Yes. My point is we know...or can assume Mr Stark has been physically studying the armour for SHIELD by now. He would have a better, more practical experience of the technology than I."

"You need Stark," Nightwing summarises it distinctly.

"To be frank, yes."

"I'll get him," Clark vows. "Did you manage to save the scans you made of Victor?" he asks Mr McCoy. "I have a feeling I'll need something to peek Mr Stark's interest."

"I did, as matter of fact," Hank can confirm he did manage to do that. He bends down and picks up a bag by his feet. He reaches inside, pulls out a tablet and throws it to Clark. "It's all on there. Show that to Stark."

Clark nods. He turns to Andrea. "I'll get Stark. You find Victor," he proposes how they'll divide up the workload.

"He's not in the..." she nods her head in the Star Labs building's direction asking if perhaps he is simply still in there.

Clark shakes his head in the neagtive. "Scanned it as soon as Mr McCoy mentioned they were separated."

"Scanned it? You have never really explained that," she tells him.

"X-ray and telescopic vision."

Andrea blinks. "You see through things?"

Clark nods.

"Like clothes?" she queries, suddenly feeling very exposed.

Clark groans. "Seriously? Every time I tell someone that why is that the first thing they ask?"

Andrea manages a sheepish grin.

Clark turns to Beast who has an amused expression in his eyes at this. Clark rolls his eyes. "So do we know who it was that attacked you?"

Beast shakes his head. "I'm afraid in all the excitement I forgot to ask."

"I'll find out," Nightwing vows. "Excuse me," she says as she goes to find a spineless grunt to intimidate with way too much enthusiasm. There is even a sort of sway to her hips.

Clark finds himself staring.

"Interesting woman," Beast comments.

"Yeah. She's really something," Clark remarks with a slightly dreamy look.

Hank has to smile a little at Clark's far off expression. "Shouldn't you be going, Superman?"

Clark snaps out of it. "Yeah. Yes. Um, just do me a favour. Keep an eye on her. Don't let her go too far. She still has a little trouble judging where the line is."

"I will make certain to keep her well back from the line," Hank promises.

Clark turns to leave.

"Superman," Hank stops him. "Time is of the essence. I don't know how long Victor has," he warns Clark to essentially step on it.

Clark nods. "I'll get Stark here. Just find Victor," he basically orders Beast and blurs off with his usual gust of wind.

* * *

**Stark Tower, New York...**

Despite Pepper's many snarky remarks to the contrary Tony does come into his office and he does work. Ok, to be honest he leaves the more mundane day to day details to Pepper but he has never been a details sort of guy. He's an ideas guy. They just flow out of his head.

He has plans.

Plans that require him to be working late at his desk working with the holographic interface to his computer systems he designed.

Tony's brow furrows. "You know I don't remember seeing an appointment this late on my schedule," he remarks as he looks up at the red and blue clad young man who has appeared in his office. "Rough night?" he asks at the tattered appearance of the individual Tony had seen in the Bugle was called Superman.

"Sort of," Superman replies. "Could have been worse. Could have been those crazy fangirls. Now that's a true assortment of evil."

Tony's lips quirk up. He liked this kid. "So before I call security..."

"Security? Really?" Superman queries with a quizzical inflexion of an eyebrow. "You do realise you couldn't make me shift a single inch from this spot?"

"That sounded like a challenge," Tony says back as he leans back into his chair. He's not overly concerned by his sudden drop-in guest...although how he got past Tony's security he will have to figure out later.

"I need your help," Superman states it.

"A lot of people do. You'll have to do better than that."

Superman throws the tablet in his hand at Stark.

Tony catches it.

"Look at it and I guarantee you'll be leaving with me."

"Unlikely," Tony thinks but he humours the kid and activates the pad. "This would have to be...to..." he trails off as he sees what the pad actually contains. He looks up at Superman. "This is real? This guy exists?" he asks just trying to confirm it. This is beyond what even Tony himself has ever dreamed of.

"That guy's name is Victor and if you don't help me he won't live to see tomorrow."

"Jarvis!" Tony calls out and the AI he created that runs the tower responds.

"Yes Mr Stark?" the polished cultured voice asks.

"Cancel all my appointments for the next 24 hours and send Pepper an apology."

"Yes Mr Stark...though I expect Ms Potts to be most displeased."

"Yeah...but what else is new?"

"Indeed, sir."

"You'll want to have him look into SynTechnics," Superman suggests. "That's the company behind this."

"Jarvis, you catch that?" Tony queries.

"Yes, Mr Stark. Collecting all relevant data now."

"Add all the data on Lionel's Prometheus armour to the collection while you're at it," Tony instructs while he transfers all the data off the pad into his own network so he can study it.

"Yes, sir."

Tony looks at Superman once more in the tattered suit. "And considering our guest's state of attire you better power up the Mark IV armour while you're at it."

"Yes, sir. Activating the Mark IV."

Tony rises to his feet and walks round his desk. Up close he can get a better idea of how much taller and larger this...kid, which is what he is, is compared to himself.

"Thank you," Superman says.

"Don't thank me yet," Tony tells him. "Walk with me," he instructs him.

Superman follows Tony as they walk out the room by the side door and up a flight of stairs.

"Who owns this SynTechnics?" Tony wants to know.

"The project was started by Lionel Luthor as far as I've been able to find out. Probably another way to try and save his life."

Tony wishes he could say he was surprised by that but he's not. "Go on," Tony says, wishing to hear the story.

"From what Victor says they managed to get a hold of several people who were near death to use as...test subjects," Superman says it distastefully. "Victor's the last one left. The only one who survived the process. Earlier tonight he managed to escape, thank to one of the doctors who had an attack of conscious."

"Little late," Tony critiques.

"He's dead. They killed him for it."

Tony is starting to get angry.

"They're hunting Victor. They managed to damage him. He's leaking battery fluid and if it can't be repaired he'll die."

"You said SynTechnics was owned by Luthorcorp. Who owns it now?" Tony asks.

"When Luthorcorp liquidated Lex bought it. What he knows I haven't had a chance to ask him yet. Not that I'd expect an honest answer," Superman says cynically about Lex.

"You know him?"

"Well enough," is all Superman will say about it.

Tony can hear the tension in the voice. He smells history there. They reach Tony's apartment at the top of his tower. They head for the balcony.

"Can you save Victor?" Superman asks the most important question as he sees it.

Tony pauses. "Kid, do you know who I am?"

"Well you do look remarkably like Robert Downey Jr."

Tony snorts. "Uh, no, he looks like me."

"So is he going to play you in a movie on your life?"

"I don't know who started that rumour but I am so suing," Tony mutters as he steps outside. As he does so part of the balcony rotates and red and gold metallic boots rise up. Tony steps into them and they begin to snap into place fully. As he walks more parts of the floor rotate or slide open and more parts of the armour are snapped into place over Tony's body until the whole Iron Man armour is in place with the face plate slide open. "So where are we going exactly?" he wants to know.

"Metropolis."

Tony looks at Superman with a queer expression. "You just ran all the way from Metropolis?"

"In less time than it takes to get across this city on a quiet traffic day if you must know."

Tony can make a rough guess of just how fast that is. It was actually slightly impressive. "Why?"

"Because I needed the best man available to save Victor's life."

Tony purses his lips. "Hmm. You've got flattery down."

"It's not flattery when it's true."

Tony chuckles. "I bet that's a great pick-up line with the ladies."

"Lets not go there and just get to Metropolis," Superman requests.

Tony snaps the face plate into place.

"TONY!" an irate voice shouts after him.

Iron Man and Superman turn their heads to see the annoyed looking redhead stepping out onto the balcony with them. "Sorry Peps! Duty calls!" Tony explains to her as he fires up the rockets in his boots and takes off.

Superman looks most apologetic. "I'm very sorry about this but a person's life is at stake."

Well at least he's nicer about it. Pepper will give him that. "Make sure Tony doesn't get himself killed, please?" she asks.

"I think they would revoke my superhero licence if I did. Then again my licence did come out of a box of cereal," he jokes. "Goodnight Ms Potts," Superman says before he leaps off into the air and glides away.

* * *

**Metropolis...**

Victor knew what fate awaited him now. He knew he was leaking battery fluid. Soon his bionics would shut down and he would die. Before that happened he was determined to do what he had already decided to do before those men showed up at Star Labs.

He was going to see his girl one last time.

He stumbles across the garden of the house, holding the wound on his right arm as blue fluid continues to leak from between his fingers. He reaches the door and pushes it open. What do niceties mean when one is about to die?

"Katherine! Katherine!" he shouts out as he searches through the house. It was oddly quiet. The lights were on but no-one seemed to be home. Something was wrong but Victor doesn't really have the strength. He slumps down on the couch. He senses a presence suddenly come to stand over him.

"Hello, Victor."

Victor looks up into the face of a middle aged man. The man in charge of the project that created him. Dr Alistair Krieg. They've found him but he's too tired to really find any emotion to respond with. "Where's Katherine?" he asks the question that is most important to him.

"She's safe, and she'll stay that way as long as you cooperate," Dr Krieg makes the not so veiled threat.

"If you so much as touch her, I swear to God..." Victor makes the threat.

"I'm a doctor, Victor. My goal is to help people, not to hurt them," Dr Krieg proclaims.

If Victor had the strength he would laugh so hard at that. "Don't play with me, doc. I want to see her," he demands.

"You will," Dr Krieg says what sounds like a promise. "But first you'll return to the lab with these gentlemen," he says.

Victor looks as armed men enter the room with them. They grab Victor under the arms and haul him to his feet. Victor looks at the doctor, at the architect of his torment with a look of utter disdain. "Hope you win your Nobel Prize," he sneers.

Dr Krieg places his hands behind his back and waits for the men to escort Victor out the house before saying, "You were right. He came here like a fish to water."

A man steps into the room. A certain bald man. Lex Luthor. "Yeah, well, the heart has a way of clouding one's better judgement," he says from personal experience. Lana had been clouding his judgements before she vanished and she still is. Lex will find her though. He will do what Clark, the X-Men and especially Superman failed to do. He'll find her and save her but to do that and to carry out all his other plans he needs better tools at his disposal...like Victor Stone.

Lex knew if he kept a watch on Victor's girlfriend's house it might pay off and it did. "I'll leave you to your work, doctor," he says. "I have my own to take care of but let me know when Project Cyborg is fully functional again. I want to be there when you make the final..._adjustments_."

"Of course Mr Luthor," Dr Krieg accedes to his boss' authority. Those final 'adjustments' will ensure that Victor won't be engaging in any more rebellious acts ever again. In fact you could say it will purge those rebellious feelings, and every other feeling, away...permanently.

* * *

_Author's Note: Ooh Iron Man. Now the bad guys are in trouble. And Lex finally shows up. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; Cyborg part 4_


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

**The Daily Planet...**

Lois and Chloe stand on the roof trying to shield themselves from the biting wind. Clark had phoned Chloe and said he was on his way back and Chloe told him she and Lois had dug up more information he should see so since she and Lois were at the Planet anyway they agreed to a meeting on the roof.

"So how exactly do you have Superman's number and I don't?" Lois asks as they wait.

Chloe looks at Lois and just gives her cousin a shrug. "It's just a number he gave me for tonight. It's probably a burn phone," she says.

"Yet this is not the first time you've managed to reach him," Lois points out, eyeing her cousin suspiciously. "You know what I think."

"I get the feeling you're about to tell me."

"You know more about him than you let on."

Chloe is careful to school her features. A too strong response will tip Lois off that she is actually correct. "Even if I did, which is not a confession by the way, what I know would be a secret and I would not break his confidence. Besides Lo, I really don't know much more than you do," she blatantly lies. "When I have contacted him previously it's been through the Xavier Institute."

Lois gazes at Chloe. Her cousin could keep a very even, difficult to read, tone.

The sound of rocket engines catches the two girls' attention and both are stunned at seeing the red and gold armoured figure of Iron Man land not too far away from them. "Ladies," he greets them in the synthesised voice.

There is a gust of wind and Superman appears as well. He clears his throat. "You said you have more information."

Chloe blinks out of her stunned state first. "Um, yeah. I did. It's about the head of the Machina project and...oh my God you never said you were bringing Iron Man along!" Chloe slips into fangirl squee mode.

Clark rolls his eyes. Seriously? He can rip that suit apart like a tin can with his bare hands and she goes all squeeified over Stark?

There is a light chuckle from Iron Man. "I like to make surprise entrances."

"I bet you do," Lois says with a lazy grin.

"Information," Superman repeats. "The head of Machina?"

"Oh yes, yes," Chloe says. "His name is Dr Alistair Krieg and he has a chequered history."

"He was fired from both M.I.T. and Stanford for using their funding to conduct ethically challenged research," Iron Man reports.

"How did you know that?" Superman asks.

"Because he use to work for Stark Industries," Lois lays it out.

The face plate slides back. "Until I fired him," Tony makes the point.

"For the same thing?" Superman wonders.

"More or less."

"Huh. That's interesting," Chloe remarks. "Back then you weren't exactly humanitarian of the year," she points out. Tony Stark was not known for thinking of his fellow man very much which would explain why he hired Krieg in the first place.

"No. I wasn't," Tony concedes with a thin smile. "That's why I was willing to give him a chance but he stepped over the line. Stole some money. Did some unauthorised research. I've changed. From the sounds of it he hasn't. I think I may just have to go pay him a visit."

"First things first," Superman says, stopping Stark from flying off. "Any word on Victor?"

"Nightwing and Beast called," Chloe can report. "They had a thought about where he might vanish off to."

"Go on."

"Well his family is dead and he really only has one connection left."

"The girl he mentioned. Katherine," Superman guesses. "They think he's gone to see her?"

Chloe and Lois nod.

"Address?" Tony asks for and is given. "Ladies. A pleasure. We should definitely meet up some time," he gives his usual charming farewells.

"Only if you're paying," Lois challenges him.

Tony grins. He likes her. "We'll see," he says vaguely as his face plate snaps back into place and he takes off.

Superman puts his hands on his hips and shakes his head. He is starting to regret asking for Stark's help but if it saved Victor then it was worth it. He gives his thanks to Chloe and Lois and is gone with a gust of wind.

* * *

**The Goodwin Residence...**

When Superman and Iron Man arrive at the home of Katherine Goodwin they find Nightwing and Beast already there and no-one else.

"Too late?" Superman queries.

Beast nods. "Seem so."

"I do not believe we have been introduced," Iron Man says as he strides up to Nightwing. Under his face plate Tony can't help but eye up the masked woman.

She glares at him. "And I'll be a lot happier if it stays that way."

Beast and Superman snigger in response to the way she just shot him down.

Beast coughs. "Dr Henry McCoy," he introduces himself. "A pleasure to meet you Mr Stark."

The face plate slides open. "I'm familiar with your work Dr McCoy. Brilliant stuff."

Beast smiles at the compliment.

Superman bends down. "I can pick up several scents. Armed men. Did you manage to find out who it was that attacked Star Labs?"

"Uh, yes. Nightwing managed to persuade one of the individuals to talk," Beast reports, hesitating a little because of who is behind it.

Superman turns his head and looks at them. "Lex, right?"

Both Beast and Nightwing are visibly surprised.

"How did you know that?" Nightwing asks.

"Cause I can smell him," Superman answers as he points at the floor.

"And that is in no way disturbing," Stark jokily remarks.

Nightwing slaps him across the back of the head, hard enough to make him stumble and make a ringing sound. "Be serious," she tells him.

Tony instinctively rubs his head which does nothing but he is completely taken by surprise by the strength of the woman.

"Victor was here as well," Superman can detect as he dips his fingers into the blue battery fluid and holds it up for everyone to see.

"They have him," Nightwing makes the logical assumption.

Superman rises to his feet. "Seems likely but where are the Goodwin family?" he asks the pertinent question.

"There is no sign," Beast reports.

"There's a simple way to find out. I go ask Lex," Tony announces as his face plate slides back into place. He then strides out of the house.

Nightwing pursues him and just as he is taking off she grabs him by the ankle and hold him in place. "Where do you think you are going?!" she demands to know in her scariest voice. "For a genius you're an idiot! Do you know what you are doing?!"

"Yes I do. I'm going to save your friend's life. Now let go," he orders and powers up the repulsors in his hands.

"Nightwing. Let him go," Superman states as he and Beast step out of the house following the other two.

"But...?"

"We're not here to fight each other. If he thinks his way will get Victor back let him try."

"Listen to your friend," Iron Man advises Nightwing. "He is definitely the brains of the operation."

"Oh boy," Beast says under his breath. From his short time in Nightwing's company he has learned she can be quite aggressive when angered.

Superman zips over and places a hand on Nightwing's arm. "Let him go," he says softly.

Nightwing's fingers loosen their grip and Iron Man flies off into the sky. "I hope you know what you're doing," she accuses.

"Getting into a fight wasn't going to help Victor."

"But he'll tip Lex off!" she cries. "We should be keeping Lex in the dark that we're on to him. That way we could have watched him, followed him, he might have led us to Victor."

"Do you hear me disputing that?"

"No."

"No," Superman confirms. "We'll deal with Lex but we need to find the Goodwin family. It's possible they're being held as leverage to make sure Victor cooperates."

Nightwing agrees with that.

"There might be a way to find them," Beast speaks up.

Both Superman and Nightwing gaze in his direction awaiting an explanation.

"Follow me," Beast says as he walks toward the road. "After Star Labs we borrowed one of our attackers vans," he informs Clark as they head for said van parked at the kerb. Beast pulls the side door open and steps in. There is a lot of electronic equipment. "The van is linked to a central mainframe where orders are recorded."

Clark gets it. "If Lex ordered the Goodwins taken there should be a record."

"I expect it to be obscurely recorded. No details but hopefully we can deduce which it is."

"And orders pertaining to Victor as well?" Nightwing wonders.

"We can hope," Beast says as he hacks his way in.

"We have to," Clark insists. "We know Lionel is after him. I don't think he will just give up and if anything Victor is more at risk now being in Lex's hands. He's hurt and vulnerable."

"As you often phrase it Clark I believe it is going to be one of _those _days," Beast has to say.

* * *

**Lexcorp Tower...**

Lex sat behind his desk. He had many projects on the go. Unfortunately they seemed to be more and more under threat as of late. Attacks, break-ins, thefts.

Lex's number one suspect was his father.

What was he up to? What is his father's final goal?

That is what Lex wanted to know.

It also just made Lex push ahead all the harder with his own projects. His ones for SHIELD and the ones for himself once his deal with SHIELD was over.

And no way in hell was his father getting his hands on Project Cyborg.

It was a breakthrough of unimaginable proportions. The flaw was the low survivability. Victor Stone was the only one who did survive. If they can figure out how he did then the project can be expanded greatly.

Suddenly the sound of glass shattering from behind him makes Lex spin round to find a man in red and gold armour.

Lex glares at him. "Anthony Stark," he says coldly.

"Alexander Luthor," Iron Man returns as he walks around the desk. "Nice office," he comments.

"You'll be hearing from my lawyers about the window," Lex assures the armoured billionaire.

"Bill me," Iron Man taunts.

"Why are you here?" Lex demands to know.

"Oh you know how it goes, Lex. I was just flying through the city, spotted your tower, thought about how long it has been since we last had a chat...by the way didn't your hair use to be ginger?"

Lex lets out a small mocking laugh. "All that power at your fingertips and you're still just as flippant as ever," he says and it is not a compliment.

"And you are more like your father everyday," Iron Man retorts and under his helmet Tony smiles when he sees Lex's face darken, almost twist in disgust at the comparison.

"Get to it Stark!" Lex snaps.

Iron Man steps right up to the opposite side of the desk and leans down, pressing his hands onto the desk which creaks under the weight of the armour. "So your father turns an innocent boy into the tin man and you just carry on his work."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Lex denies all knowledge.

"So you don't know SynTechnics is experimenting on dead people...or close to dead people?"

"Never even heard of this SynTechnics."

"Funny," Iron Man remarks flatly. "Since you own it. It was part of Luthorcorp and personally if I was running your company...which by the way I'm seriously considering a buy out, then I would have made sure to clean it up."

Lex jumps to his feet and leans closer to bring his face right up against the metal helmet. "Do you even have any idea how many different little projects my father was working on? Six months later and I'm still trying to go through it all...and frankly _Tony _I thought you would understand the complexities in running a multinational corporation. To keep it operating requires me to delegate responsibilities. I can't know everything that goes on."

"Oh I do understand _Lex _yet I manage to know precisely what my company is doing and I save the day while I'm at it. Guess you're just not on my level."

Lex's face turns slightly red in anger. "You say someone at SynTechnics has been abusing their position."

"I didn't say someone," Iron Man responds, his glowing eyes glowing just a little brighter as he stares at Lex to try and make the point he is accusing Lex directly.

"I'll take the necessary steps to rectify the situation."

"You do that...and so will I," Iron Man promises as he straightens up and strides back to the window he entered from. "Have a nice night, Lex," he says his farewells as he departs,

Lex glares at the disappearing form of Iron Man. That arrogant, cocky...where does he get off? Lex doesn't know how Stark is onto him but he'll find out. That little tin foil wearing clown won't get near his project. Lex will make sure of it.

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

At the secure base Mason Cole and his associates have been holding up he finds himself engaged in another conversation with Lionel Luthor. "Your mole inside SynTechnics reports that they have Mr Stone back in their possession," he reports.

"Disappointing," Lionel remarks.

"It was necessary. He was damaged. If he hadn't been repaired he would have died."

"That also means we have to play out the whole game again and retrieve Mr Stone."

"That'll be difficult. Lex has massively increased security and we are down two units and have lost the energy cannon."

"Superman," Lionel assumes.

"I can't confirm that."

"Who else could have even hoped to have survived," Lionel points out.

"Mr Luthor if you order it we'll retrieve Stone but we can't keep sustaining losses like this. These men are not cheap nor their skills easy to replace. We will also be on Lex's radar more than ever as well as Superman's and that Nightwing character."

"Whatever the result of trying to obtain Stone once again Mr Cole, I'll require you here in Genosha afterwards. That'll allow the heat to die down, yes?"

"Yes, Mr Luthor," Cole would agree with that.

"Move as soon as possible. It is safe to assume Lex will only keep Mr Stone in his current location for a short time while he makes the necessary repairs."

"We'll move out immediately," Cole informs his employer.

* * *

**Outside the Goodwin Residence...**

Beast continues his work on garnering the location of both the Goodwins and Victor from inside the back of the van he and Andrea 'borrowed' from Lexcorp security.

Clark watches Andrea pace around. "You're wearing out a trench into the sidewalk," he teases.

Andrea stops and looks at him. "How can you be so calm?" she asks because he is just casually leaning against the van.

Clark shrugs. "There is no reason to be as worked up as you are. You're going to wear yourself out."

"You were shot by an energy cannon," Andrea reminds him, giving a reason why he should be worked up.

"Yeah. That makes no sense."

"What?" Andrea asks, puzzled.

"Lionel has to know that wouldn't kill me. I was shot by one of those during the battle against the Sentinels in New York and survived and I'm more powerful now than I was then."

"Perhaps it was designed to merely slow you down," Beast suggest as he overhears the conversation.

"Perhaps," Clark says but it still seems off to him. "Or perhaps it was a message of some sort although I don't know what beyond the fact he's a colossal douche."

"What about Stark?" Andrea asks, returning to how much that irks her. "You just let him fly off and totally ruin the element of surprise."

Clark starts to smile broadly. "God you're beautiful when you're tetchy. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

Andrea is struck still by that comment. "What?" she asks, with a blush forming on her cheeks.

Beast chuckles lightly from within the van.

"Y-you think I'm beautiful?" Andrea asks. Clark has never said that to her before.

"A blind man couldn't miss it."

Andrea's lips curl up into a happy smile. It feels nice to hear that Clark thinks she's beautiful.

Clark returns to the topic they were talking about. "As for Iron Man it may not be as bad as you think. Ok yes, the element of surprise will be ruined but if Lex knows Iron Man is here then he'll make sure to alert his security to watch out for him in particular and no-one will be looking for me or you two."

"You plan to use him a distraction," Andrea figures out.

"A great big shiny red and gold one. When Lex's security are chasing our armoured ally all over I'll zip in to where Victor is being held, rescue him and zip out before anyone even notices me. It should also be a good distraction for you and Beast to rescue the Goodwins."

"You don't want me with you?" she asks, almost sounding a little hurt

"Of course I do," Clark tells her. "It is just someone has to keep Mr McCoy from getting killed," he jokes.

"Thank you for your gracious concern," Beast dead-pans.

"I also need the best person on the job to rescue the Goodwins and that's you," Clark tells Andrea.

"Well, ok, yeah, that might be true," Andrea says in joky acceptance.

"I'm feeling so let-down by the lack of faith," Beast jokes.

"I never said you weren't good. Just not the best," Clark defends himself.

"And he just keeps on rubbing that salt into my open wound, why?" Beast asks in joky lament.

"How is it going?" Andrea asks Beast.

"I believe I have the location of the Goodwins. If I was to guess at what it is then I would say it is some sort of safehouse."

"And Victor?"

"That's oddly more difficult. There is no clear reference to any use of security to transport him from this location to somewhere else."

"Keep an eye on it," Clark advises. "I have a feeling Lex might order some reinforcements somewhere."

Beast could guess why Clark has that feeling and that why can be heard returning. The sounds of the rockets were quite distinctive.

Iron Man comes into land.

"So did it go as you thought?" Superman asks.

"Huh?" Nightwing says at that.

"Well like you said he's a genius."

"I said he was an idiot."

"You were probably right on both counts. My point being if Mr Stark is the genius he claims then I have to think he didn't just foolishly fly off to pointless confront Lex, who no doubt denied everything, right?"

The face plate slides up. "He did and yes, I am a genius. It was for a purpose."

"Like?" Nightwing wants to know.

"When Lex wasn't looking a wireless interface hidden and attached to his computer."

"And how is that going Jarvis?" Superman asks.

"I am still breaking through the encryption layers, Superman," Jarvis replies through the suit. "I cannot give a precise estimate to how long it will take."

"I'm sure you're doing your best."

Beast interrupts. "As you predicted Superman there are new orders coming through for several units of Lexcorp security to converge on a single location," he reports.

"That'd be Victor."

"You know you guys are not bad," Tony has to give the compliment.

"We saved the world from plunging into all out war while you were taking your Afghan 'vacation'," Beast makes the point. "I think we're better than 'not bad'."

"That's one opinion...and you know that was actually a working holiday," Tony describes his time in captivity in Afghanistan.

Nightwing rolls her eyes under her mask. "Can we focus please?" she wants. "Beast and I will rescue the Goodwins. You two rescue Victor," she directs.

"Wow. You just love being bossy, don't you," Tony quips.

Nightwing stalks up to him, face to face. "I can turn that fancy billion dollar suit of yours into scrap metal with my bare hands," she threatens.

Superman places his hand in between the two faces. "And I can see we need to sit down with a therapist and go over good teamwork when this is done but in the meantime can we not get into a fight. That hero fighting hero thing is so clichéd."

Beast steps down from the van. "As always Superman shows wisdom beyond his young years," he agrees with Clark's words. "Let us focus on what needs to be done."

"Fine," Nightwing spits out.

"Fine," Iron Man says shortly.

"Oh goody," Superman mutters. "Glad we can all agree it's fine."

* * *

18 year old Katherine Goodwin is a slender attractive girl with chocolate skin and past the shoulder dark hair that bounces with curls. She was here with her parents...wherever here is. They had gotten no answers from anyone. Just armed men came to the house, grabbed them, placed hoods over their heads and brought them here.

They had gotten no answers from their captors. Just told to shut it and do what as told.

What else could they do but as told. The men were the ones with the guns.

All Katherine and her family could do was sit on the furniture in this...apartment she thinks it is. All they could do was sit and wait for these men to decide what to do with them.

Katherine notices a call come in on the men's radios. She can't hear what is being said but a couple of them move towards the front door.

There is a knock on it.

The door is opened and then, from what Katherine can see, the two men are yanked off to the side. There is sounds of fighting and gunfire. Her family huddle together in fear as more of their guards rush toward the door.

There is a bestial sounding roar as a figure leaps over their heads and ploughs into the men from behind. Katherine and her family can't believe what they are seeing. It is some sort of creature covered in blue fur. Through the door a woman dressed in a long black coat, red top with wings on it and wearing a mask rushes in and tackles the men, helping the creature. The woman throws them about with extreme ease until they all lie unconscious.

The woman looks around. "Are there any more?" she asks, her voice deep and gravelly.

The 3 people just look at her too stunned to move or speak.

The blue furred man stands up straight and look at them too. "Is anyone hurt?" he asks as he takes a step toward them and they flinch.

Beast instantly freezes. He spotted the flinch. It's his appearance. He knows it is. It was a good plan. Simple but good. They used the van they had to contact the guards and get a few of them to the door where Nightwing disables them. While the others rush to their aid, Beast had climbed up the side of the building and entered through a window allowing him to take them from behind.

Job done they should tie these 'gentlemen' up...

"Look out!" Nightwing shouts as she leaps across the room.

Beast's head snaps round just in time to see another guard coming from the kitchen area firing wildly.

Nightwing throws her body in between the gunman and the Goodwin family and Hank horrifying sees several bullets impact her body which convulses and snaps back at the force of impact.

Beast moves swiftly, grabs a chair and throws it, impacting the man and pinning him down under the furniture. He moves over to disarm the man and make sure he is unconscious before turning his attention to the woman now lying prone of the ground face first.

Beast kneels down beside her and examines her. One thing he does notice right away is that there is no blood on the carpet which should be a good sign but the impact force of the bullets alone may have caused internal injuries. He reaches for her neck and tries to see if he can pick up her pulse...which is tricky through her dense feeling skin.

"I-is she alight?" Katherine asks, being the one to find her voice. That woman saved them.

Beast is struggling to find her pulse and can only give this grave ambiguous response of "I don't know."

* * *

**SynTechnics Facility...**

Victor had passed out in the van they shoved him in. When he wakes up he finds himself shirtless and restrained in a metal chair. This is not new. He's been here before. It's where they put him when they want to do tests on his bionics. He wakes up with a groan to find the unpleasant image of Dr Krieg leaning over him. "Where's Katherine?" he asks, her being the number one thing on his mind.

"Oh by now she'll be back at home," Dr Krieg tells the outright lie. "But don't worry. We've called off the dogs," he says some words of reassurance so Victor calms himself. He then turns his attention to the work they've done. He runs his hand over Victor's right arm where the damage was and is now unblemished and looks as good as new. "You'll be happy to know that we've replaced the tubing. We recalibrated a few of the servomechanisms. Your arm is even better than before," he says taking pride in that.

"I can't wait to use it to smash your skull in," Victor says with total hate of this man.

"How are you feeling?" a new voice asks.

Victor looks across the lab and find Lex Luthor walking towards him.

Lex was always going to be here for this but with Stark poking his nose in it was now more vital than ever he be here to see this next phase complete. Lex comes up to Victor and leans over the seated young man. "Victor, I'm glad we managed to get to you in time to save you," he says with a smile.

Victor looks at the bald man with little to no understanding what drives the man. "You and your father share some kind of God complex or something? I didn't ask to be saved."

Lex doesn't show any reaction to the mention of his father. "I apologise for my father," he half-means that. "I didn't know about this then. When I found out I became determined to correct his misdeeds. All I'm doing is giving you a future. A chance for a normal life," he claims.

"Normal?" Victor questions that. "Half my body is straight out of the Sharper Image catalogue," he says with anger and disgust at what he has become.

"At a price a lot steeper than $6 million," Lex quips. "Victor, the last thing I want to do is cause you more pain," he tries and assures the young bionic man, sounding incredibly sincere.

"Then why not just take back all your fancy gadgetry? You can roll my sorry stump out in a wheelbarrow, for all I care," Victor says.

"You'd die without this gadgetry," Lex reminds Victor.

Victor really is beyond caring. He knows that. He knew it when he said it.

"But I'm as eager for your freedom as you are. You just need to be patient," Lex tells him.

Victor narrows his eyes and stares at the bald businessman. If what Kal and Andrea said about Lex owning this months ago is true then Lex could have released him ages ago. He didn't so Victor ain't buying it. Then there is a sound to his right. Victor turns his head that way and sees Dr Krieg messing about with some equipment. He's never seen anything like before and he's seen a lot of sophisticated equipment. "What's that?"

"It's gonna make life easier for you," Lex promises.

Dr Krieg comes back to Victor and attaches some sensors to his head.

"What are you doing to me?" Victor wants to know because he feels...something as those sensors become attached. He feels some pressure on his brain as Dr Krieg keeps altering the settings on the machine.

"What am I doing? I'm helping you be whole again," Lex explains with a creepy pleasant smile. "Anger, despair, loneliness...such strong emotions can create a rift between brain and bionics. This chip will take the edge off when necessary."

"You're trying to turn me into a drone," Victor accuses, fear creeping in inside him. "That's what you're trying to do...a robot!" he snaps as he tries and struggles against his restraints but they are keeping his bionics suppressed.

"Victor," Lex says trying to calm the bionic man down.

Victor gasps as a new surge rushes through his head and struggles more.

"Easy," Lex requests. "You've read too much science fiction. Pacemakers, synthetic tissues, artificial hearts...the merging of man and machine is nothing new," he calmly and rationally argues about what he is doing. Lex turns to Dr Krieg who is using this equipment to find the correct settings and frequencies to..._calm _Victor's emotions. "I'll get out of your way. Keep me updated."

"I'll prep him for the implant," Dr Krieg promises. The settings will be downloaded into it and the implant will then be installed in Victor's head.

Before either man can move there is an explosion from outside that shakes the building and gunfire can be heard.

One of Lex's security rushes in.

"What is going on?!" Lex shouts in anger.

"We're under attack!" the other man replies in agitation.

"Iron Man?"

The man shakes his head. "Heavily armed men. Professionals."

Lex's lips curls up into a snarl. It can only be one person. "My father!" he spits out in fury.

"Family troubles," Victor says with a smarmy smirk. He's going to take what little enjoyment he has left.

Lex points at Krieg. "You, get on with it. I'll keep my father's plans from succeeding."

The lights flicker as the power comes under threat.

"This is a delicate procedure! I can't work under these conditions!" Dr Krieg argues.

Lex glares powerfully at him. "We can't get him out of here and I can guarantee this will bring unwanted attention. If you don't do it now you'll never get another chance so do it!" he dictates.

Dr Krieg's expression is one of great unhappiness and reluctance to do this under these conditions but he never says anything. He simply turns back to his work while Lex hurriedly leaves to take charge.

No matter what, Lex determines, his father is not getting his hands on Project Cyborg. He'll sacrifice whatever it takes to stop that from happening.

* * *

Outside Superman and Iron Man arrive to rescue Victor and come across what is a mini-warzone. You have one group of armed men trying to storm a building defended by another group of armed men. You watch on and you can see both groups are well trained in this sort of combat meaning they are locked in a deadly stalemate.

"Do I even want to know what this is about?" Iron Man asks as he comes into land on a nearby rooftop next to Superman.

"Well apart from the fact that we are dealing with men who are so obviously using guns to compensate for something they lack my educated guess would be these are Lionel Luthor's men coming after Victor."

"Well this is taking family feuding to another level...and trust me I know about having issues with one's father."

"Can you handle this?" Superman asks. He knows it was his idea to let Iron Man be the distraction but not if it seriously risks Stark getting killed.

"Is that even a question?" Iron Man asks back, sounding insulted that it is.

"I make no further comment at this time."

Tony chuckles before he takes off into the air. "Jarvis, give me an assessment," he requests as he looks down at the scene.

"I'm reading 47 targets, all heavily armed and engaging in combat. Correction. 46 targets."

Tony's jaw tightens at hearing that. Someone just got killed. "Jarvis activate external speakers," he commands. There is a beep to indicate it is done. "Attention armed goons! Do yourselves a favour; surrender now and spare yourselves the therapy group where you share all about how Iron Man took you down!"

"Diplomatic as always, sir."

"I don't recall programming you for sarcasm," Tony remarks.

"Sir, incoming!"

Tony blinks as some sort of rocket heads in his direction. He manages to swerve his body out of the way. "He actually shot at me!" he says, stunned at the idea. "Ok, that's it," he says having had enough. "Now we do this the hard way."

Iron Man dives down and the shoulders pop up to reveal launchers with a couple dozen little darts. He fires them off and they hit many targets knocking them out with the powerful sedative within the dart.

"31 targets remaining," Jarvis reports.

A launcher in the right arm pops up and a missile is fired. It breaks into a dozen smaller missiles which impact and stick on the men's weapons. They then explode with a little pop. Just enough to destroy the weapons.

"20 targets remaining."

Iron Man swoops over the battle site using his repulsors to pick off people one by one. Small arms fire hits the armour but it can take that easily. What it can't take as well is an exploding rocket...like the one that just got fired at him from behind and above on the rooftop.

It explodes on impact sending Iron Man careening into the ground, carving out a crater.

"We have been hit, sir," Jarvis informs Tony.

"Really? No kidding," Tony says sarcastically. "I'm going to be feelin this in the mornin," he complains.

While Iron Man provided the distraction all anyone sees of Superman is a red/blue streak as he zips inside.

* * *

Back inside Victor's anxieties are increasing exponentially as Dr Krieg's comes to the bionics on the left side on his head with a drill.

"Just relax, Victor. This won't take long," Dr Krieg promises.

"You want me to relax, put away the drill."

"When we're done, I promise you, you'll feel like a new man," Dr Krieg says with a cold, frightening smile.

He fires up the drill and brings it closer and closer to Victor's head. Then suddenly the doctor is given a good old fashioned football tackle and crumples to the ground.

Victor blinks and sees Superman stand there. "Nice tackle," he gives the compliment.

Superman smiles. "Thanks. Kinda wanted to be a football player when I was growing up," he says as he rips apart Victor's restraints.

"I would have hated to have faced you," Victor says as he gets to his feet with Superman's help.

"You should. Wanted to be a quarterback. You should see my throwing arm."

Victor can imagine.

Superman's head snaps round. "Lex is coming," he reports. He zips over to the doors, inhales deeply and blows out his freeze breath, coating the door solid in ice, making sure Lex can't get back in here.

Lex and his men bang on the door. It'll hold long enough for Clark and Victor to escape. There is a small round glass window in it and Clark can see Lex's apoplectic expression through. Clark can't help himself and gives Lex a small mocking wave. He then turns around. Yep, he can pretty much see how this buries the friendship.

"How did you do that?" Victor asks, stunned at seeing the door frozen.

"I can do a lot of things," Superman says.

"How do we get out now?"

"Like this," Superman answers and then slips into superspeed and bulldozes his way through the wall.

"Ask a stupid question, Victor," he mutters to himself as he runs over to the hole.

Superman pops his head back through. "You coming? We have to go save Iron Man."

"Who is Iron Man?" Victor asks as he clambers through the hole.

Right. Victor missed that as well. "That's...a long story," is all Superman can say as he and Victor make their escape.

* * *

_Author's Note: Never did answer the question whether Andrea is bulletproof so decided just to get her shot and see. __So Victor saved, bad guys humiliated. Good day all round methinks. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; Cyborg part 5 as we begin to wind this arc up._


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

**Stark Industries Metropolis Facility...**

Tony Stark does have a facility in Metropolis. He just doesn't use it very often. As much as he hated to admit it Metropolis has been dominated by first Luthorcorp and now Lexcorp. Relatively speaking Tony's operations in Metropolis were quite small. He must remember to change that.

Now he stands in his rarely used office, out of the suit and drinking a scotch. He was watching the sunrise on this Sunday morning. Loonnngg night.

Once Superman returned with his cybernetic friend it hadn't taken the 3 long to subdue the remaining men. Metropolis' police cells now had quite a few extra guests and no doubt Tony once again was making a few headlines and front pages this morning...but he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy that sort of thing.

Speaking of Superman and Victor they were across the spacious office sitting on a couch Tony had here for some reason. He really must speak to this facility's manager about the colour scheme. Hideous.

"How are you feeling?" Superman asks Victor. "Is everything working alright?"

"I feel like a billion dollars, which probably isn't too far off," Victor concedes as he squeezes the fist of his repaired arm. Still no matter how normal it looked Victor knew it wasn't. "You really think Luthor's just gonna let that much of his money walk off into the sunset?" Victor asks because he couldn't see it.

"I wouldn't worry about that," Tony says as he walks over to the two young men. "I'll take care of Lex. Trust me, he won't be getting anywhere near you ever again," he promises.

"I'd say thank you, to both of you but...the words just seem too small," Victor says, sounding rather humble.

"And completely unnecessary," Superman assures him.

"Your mom raised you modest, didn't she?" Victor says to Superman. "Neither of you had to help me but you did. You're both heroes to me. I'm not gonna forget how much I owe you both," he vows.

"Well you'll be thanking me more," Tony says. "And I wasn't raised modest so please lavish praise on me," he requests with a joky look as he points at the doors.

Victor looks as Katherine and her parents are shown in by a Stark employee. His whole face lights up in utter joy at seeing the girl he loves. "Katherine!" he calls out as he rushes toward her.

Katherine's eyes fill with tears of happiness as she lays eyes upon Victor again. "Victor?" she queries, her voice trembling. She thought him dead and it isn't until he wraps his arms around her that she truly believes he is alive. "What happened?" she asks and then notices something about how solid he feels. She pulls back and gently pushes at his right arm. "Nightwing and Beast they said...those men what have they done to you?" she asks.

Victor's expression is torn. He wants to tell her but is afraid to but he loves her so much. "It's a long story."

Katherine smiles and says with a chuckle out of the sheer happiness at being able to say this to him, "We've got time."

Clark slips away, wishing to give Victor some alone time with Katherine. Once he steps outside the office he remembers who he hasn't caught up with yet. "Jarvis?" he queries, since Tony said he could talk to the AI.

"Yes, Superman," Jarvis responds.

"I'm, uh, looking for Nightwing and Beast. Do you know their current location?"

"Yes. They are currently in the employee infirmary."

"Infirmary?" Clark queries. Why were they...? He is gone in a blur of motion until he reaches the infirmary and forgetting his usual self barges in...and then blushes profusely when he finds Beast attending to a shirtless Andrea sitting on an examination table. Oh she has her back to him and her underwear on but that is way more of her than Clark has ever seen before.

Andrea's head snaps round. "Oy! You knock!" she shouts at him about just barging in. God, she didn't want him to see her like this and that voice in her head that says the opposite can just shut the hell up

Clark spins round. "Sorry, sorry," he apologises but he has seen enough, like the extremely painful looking welts on her back. "What happened?"

Andrea sighs. "I was shot," she says, her voice low.

"Shot?!" Clark exclaims, his head snapping round to look at her again.

"Avert your eyes, Superman," Beast tells him off.

"Sorry," he apologises again as he turns away. "Are you alright?" he asks with great concern.

"I've been better," Andrea grouses.

"She'll live, though I expect her discomfort to last a few days," Beast reports from his examination. "Luckily she wasn't fatally injured as I may have momentarily feared. She did manage to walk out although there were a few colourful Spanish phrases that escaped her lips about the pain she was in," he teases.

"I was shot. It hurt," Andrea defends her language.

"You can put your top back on," Beast tells her.

Andrea does so.

Clark turns round. "So she is bulletproof?" he asks.

"I would not say that," Beast cautions. "She was shot with a normal, low to average velocity pistol. There are weapons with much higher velocities and greater penetration."

Clark gazes at her with soft concern.

Andrea flicks her hair back and puts it back into place. "So a more powerful weapon can kill me?"

"That's likely," Beast surmises.

"Thanks. It's good to know," she says. "And thanks for the once over."

"One day you must come to the Institute so we can do a proper medical check," Beast requests of her because he knows her powers come from a transplanted heart from a meteor mutant. The scar is still quite visible. Beast has no idea how that works or if it will continue to work. Others who have had similar transplanted organs have died.

"One day," Andrea replies giving no promise of when.

"I'll, um, leave you two alone," Hank decides and walks out.

Clark slowly walks over and then hops up on the table next to her, sitting side by side.

"How's Victor doing?" Andrea asks.

"Good. He's good. Him and Katherine are catching up."

"That's good," Andrea says.

Clark can see her body is tense and holding off from him.

"Do you think she'll be able to cope with what was done to him?"

"I don't know," Clark gives his honest opinion before he gives her his belief. "I think, though, if you love someone strongly enough you can deal with anything."

"That's very sweet," Andrea says.

Clark reckons her tone indicates she doesn't buy into it. He raises a hand and it slips into her long hair. She tenses but doesn't pull away as Clark runs his fingers through her hair. "You know this will put you on Lex's radar," he worries for her.

"He should be more worried about being on mine," Andrea retorts. She hadn't been aware until this incident just how deep in it Lex was. She should have believed Chloe more.

Clark smiles at her spunk. "So are we going to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"What happened in the van." He means with her crying and breaking down momentarily.

"With Stark's little AI everywhere? No," Andrea refuses to talk while there is a risk of being listened to.

Clark takes her by the hand and hops down. "Come on then," he gently pulls at her.

"Come where?" she eyes him suspiciously.

Clark smiles his goofy one. "Somewhere quiet."

* * *

After leaving Clark and Andrea Beast made his way to Stark's office. He spots Victor talking with Katherine and it is in fact Victor he wants to talk to Stark about. He walks up to the desk Tony is sitting behind where the genius inventor is looking at several holographic screens at once.

"How's our little Nightingale?" Tony asks.

"That's Nightwing," Hank corrects him. "And she'll be fine. How about yourself?" he asks. "I saw the damage on your suit."

"Lived through worse," Tony says with small grimace as he taps on the glowing arc reactor in his chest.

"I would like to talk about young Mr Stone."

Tony waves his hand over his desk and shuts the holograms off. "Certainly. Sit. You don't shed do you?"

"Yes. I do," Hank replies as he sits down. "Murder in the summer," he complains about it but with a very light-heated tone.

"So what about our little cyborg?" Tony gets straight to it.

"I don't think Lex or Lionel will just give up," Hank gives his worry.

"You leave Lex to me," Tony promises. "I have more than enough leverage over him to get him to back off."

"Lionel is another kettle of fish."

Tony makes a small laugh. "You should see how Fury is tearing his hair out trying to find Lionel," he remarks. Tony had seen plenty of it as he deals more and more with Fury.

"Yes. You joining his Avengers Project?"

"I'm not even going to ask how you know about that...and I'm considering myself more of a consultancy role."

"Didn't know the government could afford you."

"They can't."

"Victor has no family left," Hank returns to that. "And his technology needs someone with substantial resources to maintain them." He's hinting that Stark himself take the boy in because basically there's no-one better for the job.

Tony leans back and ponders. "Well I guess Rhodey could do with an assistant. He's not getting any younger."

Hank smiles at the jest before he speaks soberly. "Can you help him?"

Tony's reply is sober and serious as well. "I can try."

"And Lionel?"

"He's welcome to try and come and get Victor but he'll find Iron Man standing in the way," Tony promises to protect the boy.

"Mr Stark," Jarvis' voice interrupts. "Incoming call. It's Ms Potts."

Tony mock grimaces, "Now I've going to get it." He takes a moment before saying, "Put her through Jarvis."

A holographic screen pops up showing Pepper Potts' face.

"Hey Pepper!" Tony greets her with a smile.

Pepper glares at him. "Tony you want to explain to me why you're on the news again this morning."

"Why? Did they catch my bad side again? I keep telling them to stop that."

Pepper's glare becomes a scowl. "Ok. How about this then? Do you want to explain why I'm getting phone calls from Lex Luthor's attorneys?"

"I may have made fun of his premature hair loss but suing me is a little overboard."

"Tony!" Pepper pleads in frustration.

"Trust me Pepper. By the end of the day those will be getting dropped."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because it will start an investigation into areas he doesn't want people to look into."

"Because you'll make sure they look into those areas," Pepper assumes.

"I might subtly steer it that way, yes."

"Sorry to interrupt," Jarvis apologises. "But you have a guest demanding to see you, Mr Stark."

"Guest?"

A new image pops up of security camera footage. "Lex Luthor is at the front door."

Tony grins as if this was some plan coming together.

"Tony. Don't do anything to make the lawsuits worse!" Pepper pleads with urgency.

"Pepper. Will you relax? I've got this," Tony assures her.

Somehow whenever he says that Pepper feels herself age by about a decade.

* * *

**Smallville...**

When Clark was growing up he found it was possible to actually see Metropolis from Smallville. There was an old windmill he would sit on and stare in wonder at that gleaming city on the horizon.

And this is where he has brought Andrea. He slides his jacket off and sheds off 'Superman'. It's just plain old Clark Kent sitting here.

Andrea slides her own black leather coat off. The one that now has bullet-holes in it. She looks at it forlornly. She loved this jacket.

Clark places his hand on top of hers and Andrea looks into his eyes and can see the worry deep within the baby blues. Andrea reaches up and pulls her mask back and off. She then looks off across the fields.

"I use to love this view growing up," he tells her.

"I can see why," she replies in a quiet voice. It was a surprisingly beautiful view of a city she knows. Growing up in Suicide Slums she sees it at its worse. From here all you can see is the glint of sun off the gleaming skyscrapers. From here Andrea can see why people call it the City of Tomorrow. It looks like that glorious dream of a better world.

"It's not that I expected ever to reach there," Clark wishes her to understand. "I was happy being my father's son. I would have had no issue taking over from him, being a farmer. It was more a reminder that the world is a lot bigger than Smallville. Keeps things in perspective."

Andrea smiles a tiny amount. That was a good lead in. She had to credit him. Perspective on what happened is what this is about. "I'm not sure what to say," she says honestly, finding the words desert her.

"Andi," Clark says her name simply yet conveys so much warmth. "I know it's hard but...this life is not safe. You or I...it can never be 100% guaranteed."

"I know," she says, her voice cracking. She knows either of them could die. "I think I proved right what I said before about not being ready. I...freaked."

"Well maybe a little you did, yeah," Clark agrees, trying to sound light. "But we all freak."

"You included?"

"Pft. Like every other day."

Andrea manages a small smile.

"We haven't really talked about it...us," Clark says. "There's something there, Andi. Please say you can feel it."

"I do...but..." she trails off. She can't finish. She doesn't know what to say.

"When we first met everyone, my friends, my family, that caustic redhead called my sister, they all said I was on the rebound. I had just broken up with my girlfriend."

"Are you on the rebound?"

"If I was my feelings would have faded away but they're not."

"Clark I haven't had a boyfriend in a year. Like Victor worries I'm not sure how to even do it any more with being what I am. How did you manage it?"

"I didn't. That's why I have exes. I mean I've tried both ways. Keeping it all secret and hoping that when I do tell them they know who I really am."

"How can they when you keep a part of yourself secret?"

"I was meaning more that having a few powers didn't change who I fundamentally was as a person."

"Oh. I see. And the other way?"

"Rogue? She knew what I was...and it was great for awhile but there was just this inability for us to really let the other in all the way. That's simplifying it, I admit, but that's the gist and it just came to its end. I don't blame her."

Andrea watches his face as he speaks. The sadness and pain but no anger. She turns her head back out to the horizon and for awhile they sit in silence. Both unsure what to say, both uncertain about where, if anywhere, this can go.

Clark's powerful arm comes to rest around her waist. No explanation. Maybe there doesn't need to be one.

Andrea almost sighs at the pleasant warmth that seeps from him. He's reaching out in a way and she has to answer. Her hand rises up to the back of his neck and she strokes the hair back there. Feeling how the ends curl around her fingers. She touches the nape and feels him shudder slightly.

Clark has to bite his lower lip to prevent himself moaning. He didn't realise just how sensitive he was there. Truly, somehow, all the time he was with Rogue and she missed that one. "You need to stop that," he says in a breathless whisper.

Andrea smirks a little bit mischievously and in fact increases her ministrations and this time Clark does audibly moan.

Clark slaps her arm away lightly. She brings it immediately back. They start playfully pushing each other back and forth and in their tussles they fall off the windmill and hit the ground. It's not a fall that can hurt either of them.

Clark still made sure, though, that he took the force of the fall and is now on his back with Andrea on top of him. She raises her head and they are really close together. His hand reaches up and cups her cheek and looks deeply into her pretty brown eyes.

At that exact moment both of them lose the ability to resist what has been obvious for quite some time; their mutual attraction and their lips meet in a kiss of deep desire and need.

* * *

**Stark Industries Metropolis Facility...**

Tony chose not to let Lex anywhere near Victor and the Goodwins so he went down to the lobby of his building to meet the bald man instead. "Alexander Luthor. What brings you here?" he asks in a tone as if it is a complete shock that Lex is here.

Lex doesn't appreciate the humour and glowers darkly. "Skip the smarts, Stark," he demands.

"That's a little hard. I'm smart like 98% of the time. I tell a lie. It's 100% of the time."

Lex tosses a small circular object at him which Tony catches. "That is yours I believe."

Tony holds it between his finger and thumb. His wireless interface. Oh he knew Lex would find it. In fact he made sure Lex would find it because it made a large beeping sound first thing this morning so to set up this very moment.

"Now you care to explain why I don't sue you for corporate theft on top of breaking and entering?"

Tiny tosses his little disc in the air and catches it. "You really want to go there, Lex? Where an investigation looks at what I stole?"

"You got nothing." Lex doesn't keep anything...incriminating on that mainframe

"I got enough to give Lexcorp's competitors a heads up on your plans for the next 6 months. What you plan to purchase, sell, the direction you are heading. Then there is what Mr Stone has to tell me. Interesting conversation. Something about you trying to put an emotional inhibitor chip in his head."

"Victor was heavily sedated. He misunderstood my meaning."

"Of course he did," Tony says in a tone that shows how he doesn't believe a word of that. "Still leaves the part where your competition knows your plans...or I could just let it be known to the stock market the real financial position of Lexcorp and not the one you told them it was. I wonder what direction Lexcorp shares will head? I don't think it would be up."

Lex stews. He is financially pushing his company to the limit at the moment. He...massaged the figures. He can't afford a devalued stock. It would bankrupt him. "What do you want?"

"You leave Victor Stone alone. You leave the Goodwins alone. You do that and what I know will never be seen."

"I was going to leave them alone anyway. They've suffered enough."

"Sure you were," Tony says with about as much insincerity in believing that as possible.

Lex glares harder still. "This is not over Stark. You interfered in my business...and what you were saying about a buyout...I would watch your back, Tony," he warns.

Tony smiles genially. "Uh huh. Oh the lawsuits you can drop those too," he makes another condition of keeping what he knows secret.

"You'll still be getting the bill for that window," Lex vows.

Tony thinks the time has come to end this little tête-à-tête. He points at the exit. "There's the door. Please let it hit you on the way out."

Lex turns and stalks away but mark his words. This is not over. Stark is on his list along with Superman and that Nightwing. Not to mention his father. It's irritating as hell. They all have no understanding of what Lex is trying to do, of what he is trying to transform his company into. He can't allow them to keep sticking their noses in. He may have to accelerate his plans.

* * *

**Smallville...**

Clark and Andrea are sitting on the ground at the base of the windmill. They don't feel the cold much but that hadn't stopped them cuddling into each other. They had finally allowed themselves to express their repressed feelings for each other...no not like that. There was just some making out involved.

A lot of really good making out but that's it.

Clark's a gentleman and the clothes stayed on. Besides he would never sleep with her, or anyone, without them knowing what he is. Clark places some gentle kisses down the side of Andrea's face down to her pulse point.

Andrea makes a sort of cross between a strange purring sound and a moan. "Clark," she gasps.

"That's my name...and please say it more exactly like that," he says, his voice low and husky.

"Clark...please," she begs him to stop. He does and looks right into her face and his eyes are so luminous blue with life they almost look beyond human. Andrea swallows hard. After her mother died she spent a lot of time working to control her emotions and her powers. She was focussed only on catching her mother's killer but from the second she met Clark she's felt pulled to him. "Clark...I still don't feel ready." She can see a small hurt look on his face. She places her hands on his cheeks so he looks into her eyes and sees her sincerity. "Don't get me wrong. That...that was really good."

Boy was it ever. Andrea had almost forgotten just how nice it could be, just how amazing it could feel.

There is a smile of manly pride. "It was good for me too," he says because...wow he just realised he wasn't thinking too much there about restraining his vast strength and he didn't hurt her and the way she could make him feel...again wow!

"Clark...I just...can't," she struggles to explain. She imagines a full blown relationship with him and it...terrifies her. She freezes just like when she did when she saw him engulfed by that energy beam.

Clark sighs and runs his hand through his already messed up hair. "Ok," he accepts. "I get that. I do," he says because even as he sits here after what they have just done he doesn't feel much more of a compulsion than normal to confess the whole 'I'm from another planet' story.

Andrea feels a wave of relief wash over her. The last thing she wants is to hurt him.

"However..."

_'However?'_

"That doesn't mean we can't hang out as friends, right?"

"I guess not," Andrea says as she tries to find an argument against that.

"After all we've never done that. We talk on the phone but whenever we met in person it's always 'work related'."

That was true. Andrea couldn't argue otherwise.

"So shall we?"

Shall we what?" she asks cautiously.

"Do something together as friends. You know go see a movie, hang out at the malt shop..."

"Malt shop?"

Clark grins unabashed. "Got that small town hick boy thing right down don't I?"

"Pitch perfect."

"Try growing up in Smallville. There is a severe limit on the number of things to do but back to my question. Hanging out. You. Me."

Andrea thinks hard. "Well..."

"Well?"

"There is this place. It runs really old classic movies. There running my favourites at the minute. The Grey Ghost!" she says with much enthusiasm and excitement.

"Grey Ghost?"

"It's from the 60s. It's about a sort of vigilante detective."

"Let me guess he dresses up in a costume, goes out at night and scares the bejesus out of criminals."

"You've seen it?"

"No. I'm just guessing at where you got it from."

Andrea slaps him on the shoulder.

Clark rubs it. "Why do women always hit me?" he grumbles.

"Because you're too smart for your own good," Andrea says with a pleasant looking smile.

"It that a compliment or an insult?"

"Guess," Andrea teases.

"I'll pass. So when do you want to go out and see this movie?"

"Uh...well next weekend sometime?" she suggests.

"Shouldn't be a problem."

Andrea breaks out into a large smile. "Ok," she agrees.

Now she should definitely smile like that more often, Clark thinks. "Do you want to get going back now?"

Andrea shakes her head. "No. Not right now. Can we stay here awhile longer?"

"Of course," Clark says and he shifts slightly so she is more comfortable.

Andrea rests her head on his shoulder. Clark leans his cheek against her head.

The long night finally catches up with both as they drift off asleep.

* * *

_Author's Note: Yeah, felt Clark and Andrea needed to have a talk so there we go. And as for Victor I don't think going to the Institute is what I want to do with him when hanging around with Tony opens up more possibilities for the future as to what Victor will become. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll remains open. Next up; we'll call it Cyborg part 6 as I wrap the arc up._


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

**Stark Industries Metropolis Facility...**

It is some time later in the day Superman returns after he woke up from his nap. Andrea had gone into work. She couldn't put that off any longer. Not when there was such an obvious news story doing the beat. Of course she and Clark were partly responsible for that story. Anyway...

Clark is pretty sure he is smiling like an idiot. He made out with a hot girl and got a date...only they are not calling it that. Nope just two friends sharing some time together. That's it.

He's back to catch up with Victor. He's already talked to Beast who had informed him of the plan as it was. That Victor stays with Stark. Clark can see why Victor would do that. Still part of him would have liked to have been able to form a closer bond with Victor. If anyone knows about coming to terms with discovering you're not what you think you are it's Clark.

Beast was currently off on the phone explaining this adventure to the Professor...and the large medical bill for Forge. Last Clark heard Forge would be ok after a few days. You just have to be cautious around concussions.

Clark finds Victor up in Stark's office looking out the window to the skyline of Metropolis. He stands next to him. "Nice view."

"Yeah," Victor agrees.

"Where's Katherine? Her parents?"

"Sleeping. Stark sorted out a place for them."

"What about you?"

"I've been dead for a year. Think I'm rested enough. May want to try living again."

Clark smiles at the sentiment. "Yeah. Living's fun." His smile gets a little bigger when he thinks on all the 'living' he and Andrea got up to.

"I can't thank you enough," Victor repeats from earlier.

"It's what I do, Victor."

"Vic. My friends get to call me Vic," he says, allowing Superman to be called his friend.

"Vic," Clark repeats with a certain satisfaction. "So you're going to stay with Stark, huh."

"Yeah. Seems like the best idea if I'm going to keep all this hardware running. Hell, I don't even know what it all can do."

"I'm sure Mr Stark will aid you to finding that out."

"You keep in touch?"

"I'm just round the corner. I've Bayville's protector...which for me is only a minute down the road from New York."

"You're really something special ain't ya," Victor can't help but remark in genuine astonishment.

"Me? Nah. Nothing special about me."

Victor won't make a comment since he already made it about Superman's modesty.

"Try and avoid fridge magnets. Don't want ya singing folk songs," Clark quips.

"That's Futurama right? The robot, Bender?"

"Yep," Clark says with a great big smirk.

"Funny," Victor says dryly.

"I try and if you ever need to talk call the Xavier Institute. Someone will get a hold of me," he says.

Victor turns to face Superman who in turn does the same. Victor offers his right hand which Clark takes.

"I'll never forget everything you have done for me," Victor promises.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Clark said his farewells to Victor and Stark. He and Beast had a chat about a few things before Clark decided to head home and get out of his tattered costume...and a shower would be heaven. He would pop back later and check up on Forge he thinks...and as Superman he said his thanks to Chloe and Lois for their help.

Yes, even Lois. She did help.

Clark reaches his room and throws his jacket off onto his bed. "I'm going to run out of jackets at this rate," he complains. He sits down on his bed and pulls his blue t-shirt off over his head. Then a golden furry head pushes it's way through Clark's not fully closed door.

Shelby enters and jumps up on the bed next to him, giving him a sniff.

Clark pats the adorable dog. "Hey boy. How's it going?" he asks.

Shelby licks Clark's hand before lying down next to him.

BAMF!

It is the signal of Kurt's arrival in his usual puff of blue smoke.

"Hey Kurt," Clark greets his friend.

"Hey Clark," Kurt greets him back and then takes a moment to pat Shelby. Kurt liked the dog. It was nice having Shelby around. Almost normal like. A purple dragon ain't normal. Just don't ever tell Kitty he said that. "Tough night I hear," Kurt remarks to Clark.

"That's got around already?" Clark says with surprise that even for the gossip mongers around here his exploits have become public knowledge.

"You're on zhe news," Kurt points out.

"I'm sure that's more Stark is on the news," Clark thinks.

"Zhat too...and vhat's vith zhe smile?"

"Smile? What smile?"

Kurt points at Clark's face. "Zhat vone. I haven't seen zhat vone in ages. Not since before you and Rogue broke up."

"Uh..." Clark stammers. This was majorly awkward being he is talking to Rogue's brother and all. "It's...what brings you here?" Clark asks, hoping his change of subject will allow him to get off the hook.

"Hmm...oh right. Zhe Professor. He must have sensed your return or somezhing. He asked me to ask you zhat vhen you're free he vould like to talk about...vhatever it is you got up to."

"I'm going to hit the shower first and then I'll do that," Clark promises. "Thanks Kurt."

* * *

Later in the Professor's study Charles listens to Clark tell the story. The Professor had already talked to Beast over the phone. It was...concerning. Lionel(assuming it is him) seems to be picking up his activities. He seems to be desiring to get back the technology he lost. For what purpose though?

The mutant inhibition technology makes some sense due to Lionel's obvious dislike of the X-Men. Maybe he is trying to create some sort of weapon.

But what was Mr Stone for?

Another weapon?

From what Charles knows Victor's strength and speed would certainly make him capable of combating most mutants. Combined with the fact it seems like it's possible to implant a chip to control Victor then you have the perfect obedient weapon.

What is Lionel up to? What is his ultimate aim? What is his end game?

He vanishes and not a word. Not a hint of where he is.

This episode will have delayed him but Charles doesn't feel it has derailed Lionel. They need to find him.

"What of Lex?" he asks Clark. "Why do you think he wanted Victor for?"

Clark shrugs. "I don't know. Can't be SHIELD right? Colonel Fury wouldn't approve of human experimentation would he?"

"I may need to speak to Logan about that. Assuming no, he doesn't, you have to think Fury will hear of this."

Good. Lex could do with a reality check. Clark can hope.

"What of Victor?" Charles wonders.

"He's staying with Stark for the moment. They'll be an investigation. My bet is Lex will claim and prove he knew nothing of this. That SynTechnics was a rogue company all set up thanks to his father. Stark said he would keep Lex off Victor's and the Goodwins' backs." Clark sighs. "Those involved...I can't believe what they did," he says, angry at the utter lack of moral scruples.

"No. Neither can I...but as we know with Weapon X Clark people can find justifications for just about anything."

"I know. It just...bugs me."

"I completely sympathise. What does worry me is the unanswered question. How did Lex's men know Victor was at Star Labs? If they knew that do they know what Hank and Forge are working on?"

"I did have some thoughts on that."

"And what conclusions did you reach?"

"Either Lex had the building under surveillance for some reason and simply saw myself and Victor enter the building or someone told him and the only other people there, apart from Mr McCoy and Forge, were the security guards."

Charles can see Clark's thinking. "One of the guards informed Lex."

"It's a possibility."

"It is," Charles will accept. "I'll contact Patricia. Advise her to do some checking into those guards that were on duty."

"I'll do some checking too," Clark chooses to do.

"Are you alright, Clark?" Charles asks, more after Clark's emotional wellbeing than his physical one.

Clark sighs. "I've had better days. You know what really angers me Professor?"

"Tell me," Charles permits, wanting Clark to get his frustrations off his chest and not bottle them up.

"Dr Hong. It was too late to save him and those vans just left when I got there which means they waited there. They waited and watched to make sure he was dead. Who does that? What kind of person does that?"

"There are people with very great darkness within them Clark. We all wish there wasn't but there is. What you can comfort yourself with is that you caught them and with any luck the Justice system will see them get the punishment they deserve."

"Doesn't bring Dr Hong back," Clark laments.

"No. It doesn't. I'm afraid there is nothing I can say to make you feel better Clark."

"Yeah. Just have to live with it, right?" he says sullenly.

"Living is the hardest thing to do but also the most worthwhile. Don't let the darkness you encounter stop you from living, Clark," Charles offers his advice.

Clark nods as he turns to leave. He gets what the Professor is trying to say but this is just going to be one of those weekends that stays with him for quite some time.

* * *

In the sitting room several of the students are having a lazy Sunday. Some are there to wind down after a DR session. Jubilee is currently on the topic of the day. "How difficult can it be to come up with a codename?" she asks Betsy. The purple haired telepath still hadn't come up with one.

"Bit rich coming from someone whose codename is their nickname, luv," Betsy shoots back.

"Well at least I'm not Jean," Jubilee points out with her impish grin...because Jean is in the room.

Jean frowns. "What is wrong with my name?"

"Nothing," Jubilee says too sweetly. "Except it's not a codename...unless it is and you have been keeping your real name from us."

Jean rolls her eyes. "Right and what do you think my name is? Karen Grant?"

"Where did you come up with Karen Grant?" Alex asks.

Jean shrugs. It just came to her for some weird reason.

Scott intervenes on behalf of his girlfriend. "Jean did have a codename back at the start but it never really worked so we dropped it."

"What was it?" Paige wonders.

Jean grimaces slightly as she says it. "Marvel Girl."

There are many, many sniggers.

"Marvel Girl?!" Jubilee cries in total amusement bursting into a full blown giggle fit.

Even Betsy is snickering at this. "How did you come up with that? No offence, Jean, but considering yourself a 'Marvel' is a bit of an ego trip."

"That's why I dropped it."

"And the costume," Scott idly drops in.

Jean's head snaps round so fast the air almost breaks and she glares at him. "Ixnay on the ostumecay."

"What costume?" Paige asks.

"I'm not discussing it," Jean refuses bluntly. She then rises to her feet and marches out.

Everyone looks at Scott.

"So what is that about bro?" Alex asks.

"Yeah. I want to live so forget it," Scott tells them. He's not crossing his girlfriend. He then leaves before further questioning.

Jubilee looks at where they left. "Ok, so who's up for finding out what that's about?"

Several hands get raised.

At this point Clark passes by and spots the raised hands. He blinks. "I do not want to know," he says.

Betsy's face lights up into a huge smile. "Ooh, you're back!" she cries merrily as she jumps to her feet. She quickly brushes her clothes back into place and flicks her hair back.

"Hi Betsy," Clark greets her. "You seen Bart?" he asks since his room-mate has gone missing.

Betsy shakes her head. "Nope."

Clark looks to Jubilee. "Jubes?"

"He said something about a run. He also keeps promising to take me out yet that never happens," she complains. It was a shame. She really did think Bart was cute.

"Bart's mind tends to wander. You might want to take charge," Clark advises.

Jubilee smiles brightly. "I just might do that. Thanks Clark!"

Betsy wanders over to Clark, her hips swaying just that little extra bit. "So how about you tell all about what little adventures you got up to this time and then we can discuss how you owe me a night out."

"I do?" Clark queries with a puzzled frown about owing her a night out. He likes spending time with Betsy just fine but he doesn't think he owes her a night out.

Betsy shrugs as she takes him by the arm and leads him away. "Maybe you don't but what are details between friends?"

Clark looks at her oddly as he lets her lead him away. He will have to cut this short he's afraid. He still has loose ends to tie up in Metropolis.

Jubilee snorts as soon as Betsy is out of earshot. "Boy, she so wants to get into his pants," she comments.

"What?" Paige asks.

"Oh don't give me that naïve farm girl act, Hayseed. I know all about your crush on Jamie."

"W-what?" Paige stammers.

"You talk in your sleep," Jubilee explains.

Paige blushes.

"We'll get to that later," Jubilee promises. "After you tell me why you keep leaving those workout vids on my bed?" she wants to know. "Didn't we talk about personal space?"

Alex rises to his feet and gives an answer. "Maybe she's trying to give you a hint," he says as he leaves not wishing to be in the same room as that explosion.

"Hint?" Jubilee asks. "Hint at what? I mean what are you saying, Paige? That's I'm fat and out of shape?"

"Um, no," Paige squeaks.

Jubilee's eyes narrow. "I'll have you know I'm a brilliant gymnast! Won some medals. What have you ever done? Rolled a few pigs?"

"Ok ya can get off the dang hick clichés!" Paige argues back. She hates those. "Ah was just makin' a suggestion. Ah ain't makin ya do it am ah?"

"Well no...but..."

"But what? We should beh in shape. Ah'm not goin ta beh a New Mutant forever. One day ah'm goin ta lead the X-Men!" Paige insists passionately, believing that with absolute certainty.

Jubilee looks at her room-mate in stunned silence for several moments...before rolling about on the floor with laughter.

* * *

**Lexcorp Tower, Metropolis...**

Night had fallen on this Sunday evening and Lex was in his office trying to clean up the mess of SynTechnics and at the moment he was also having one of _those _phone calls. "Colonel Fury. I can assure you I did not know what was going on at SynTechnics. This project was started by my father. I literally only found out about it when that armoured clad clod that calls himself Iron Man intervened...and caused substantial amounts of property damage."

"I'll be having words with Stark too," Fury promises. "I'm willing to bet though he'll give me a different version of events."

"Well obviously," Lex says with disdain. "No matter his claims Colonel none of this affects our contracted arrangements. Lexcorp will deliver what I promised on time and budget...and please recall we have a contract Colonel just in case you choose to believe Stark. There were substantial penalties written into it if you try and terminate it."

"Is that a threat?"

"A mere restatement of our arrangement."

"I assume you are investigating how this evaded your attention for so long."

"Of course and when I have an answer you'll have an answer."

"And the doctors involved?"

"All suspended, without pay, pending both the internal and police investigations"

"Are we assuming it was your father who attacked SynTechnics the first time?"

"I believe the police have those men in custody. I'm sure you can arrange for one of your agents to question them."

"I've already done that."

"Of course you have. Well then Colonel I have a lot of work to do so you'll forgive me if I cut this short. Goodnight."

Lex slams the phone down...only for it to ring immediately. He almost growls in anger. He picks it back up and prepares to snap whom he thinks is the caller's head off. "Colonel Fury I thought I said..."

"Oh shut the hell up Lex."

Lex blinks. That wasn't Colonel Fury. It was a woman. He is so shocked that anyone would have the nerve to address him that bluntly it takes awhile to find his voice and when he does his temper threatens to boil over. "Who is this?! How did you get my personal number?!"

"I know it's been awhile but surely you remember me. It's Patty."

Patty? Lex only knows one Patty. "Patricia? Patricia Swann?" Lex queries tentatively.

"Oh you do remember," she says somewhat mockingly.

Lex...he has very few childhood memories left but he can remember playing with Patty a few times. The fact it is her takes the sting of anger instantly out of his voice. "Why are you calling me?"

"To find out why your personal security almost burned down my building?!" she says irately. Oh yeah, she's heard all about it from Professor Xavier, from Clark, from her own people. It was outrageous.

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Oh cut the crap Lex. Star Labs. Your men attacked it. Don't even bother denying it."

"I can't give you an answer until I have done a full investigation."

"Convenient," Patricia mocks that too.

"It was not under my order. That I can guarantee." That is sort of true. He did give explicit orders for no collateral damage. No body count and certainly not burning the building down for the very reason he didn't want an investigation on the scale he is facing.

"Well I'll see about that when I get to Metropolis, won't I?"

"You're coming to Metropolis?"

"Unlike some people I don't manipulate things from behind the scenes. I'm coming to handle my company's investigation into this personally."

"I feel you're accusing me of something," Lex says with a frown.

"Not a thing. I just want the truth."

"As do I," he tries to assure her.

"Uh huh. Well how about we arrange a meeting so we can hammer this out. I prefer the face to face approach and not behind an army of lawyers...which I do have on standby in case you wish to play it that way," she warns him.

Lex did have questions. He knew Star Labs was up to something involving a couple of mutants from Xavier's. What precisely, Lex didn't know...yet. Perhaps a more congenial approach with Patty would be better. They were friends once. It might not be beyond a possibility to arrange a partnership. That would help get him back on track after all these setbacks. "Well as you can imagine I'm busy but I'm certain we can arrange something. Why don't you contact me when you reach Metropolis?"

"Sounds fair. Look Lex, I know I sound upset but this is my father's legacy we're talking about here. I apologise if I was short with you."

"I can understand," Lex lets it slide in the name of fostering a beneficial relationship.

"I'll see you soon. We can talk about old times as well I hope."

"Yes. Sounds delightful...Patty."

"Patricia," she corrects him. "I prefer Patricia now."

"Patricia," Lex happily corrects himself. It does sound more fitting for a powerful, rich, young woman as she must be by now. "I look forward to seeing you again."

"As do I," she demurs politely. "Goodnight Lex."

"Goodnight," he returns and the phone call ends.

Lex holds the receiver in his hand, looking at it for quite some time. He never expected Patricia...well maybe he should have. She does own Star Labs but even after her father's death she had been almost as reclusive as Dr Swann.

Lex wonders what it is that has spurred her onto coming out now.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

Lionel would take his time analysing these events. He wouldn't lose his temper. Yes he was more than irritated that Victor Stone had been lost but they did retrieve the data. He can use that. He just needs to hire the right people to develop it...and the right 'volunteers' to be augmented.

He would also keep his word to Cole and temper down his activities. If anything he needs time to replace the men who have now the misfortune of occupying prison cells.

In fact Lionel needs to shift his focus off his son for the moment. He has most of what he needs. Time to concentrate on his daughter's activities. His plans will progress much better if he can find the means to control Superman.

Lionel can just imagine the level of knowledge and technology Superman must have access to. If necessary perhaps he can even find the ways to bypass round Superman and get to that knowledge himself.

Much to ponder and all the while Ivan continues his work as does Douglas...and oh yes. There was that new ally he had recently made. He'll be very useful when Lionel's plans come to fruition.

So much to do. So little time.

* * *

**Stark Industries Metropolis Facility...**

"So did Lex blame it all on me?" Tony asks Colonel Fury over the phone. He had been expecting this phone call.

"More or less. It troubles me."

"Wow really? Illegal human experiments and you're troubled," Tony rattles off sarcastically, trying to make an impact about how little reaction that seems to garner from Fury.

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm, Stark."

"What do you appreciate?"

"That Lionel Luthor's men broke in and all they aimed for was the boy?"

"You think they stole the data too."

"Don't you?"

"Course I do. Lex didn't say?"

"He chose not to make mention of it. Can Lionel make more cyborgs?"

"It's sophisticated technology and from what I know the survival rate is next to zero. He can but it would be difficult. Without the doctors at SynTechnics it would take longer."

"So the need to find him hasn't lessened."

"Believe me I've been trying. He's vanished."

"And what of the Stone boy?"

"I'm taking care of him."

"Stark," Fury warns.

"I'm taking care of him," he repeats, his tone stronger and serious. "Consider me his Guardian. You want him you go through me," he says and he did not misspeak. He chose his words exactly as he wanted.

"This is not the end of this conversation."

"Actually it is if you ever want me to join your Avengers," Tony makes Fury a condition.

"I would expect you to actually show up at team meetings," Fury shoots back his condition. Otherwords for Stark to take it seriously.

"Send Pepper the next date and she'll make sure I'm aware of it. Goodnight Colonel," Stark says as he ends the call.

"You know you could have been more diplomatic," a soft spoken voice points out.

Tony smiles and rotates himself round in his chair to lay eyes upon his red-haired personal assistant who had flown in from New York. "Yeah but when is that ever me?"

Pepper sighs. That's sadly true. "I can't believe what they did to that boy," she says outraged after finding out what this was all about.

Tony leans back. "Not too happy myself. You'll make all the arrangements for him?" he asks about what Victor will need if Tony is going to look after the boy.

Pepper nods. "I'll sort it," she assures Tony and is very determined to so as to try and help Victor rebuild his life. Course bringing someone back from the dead is not entirely easy but she'll fix it. "So what are you having Jarvis do?" she asks, pointing at one of the holographic screen. She's been around Tony long enough to recognise when Jarvis is doing an analysis.

"Sensor data."

"On?"

Before Tony can answer Jarvis speaks. "Analysis complete Mr Stark on the 3 subjects designated Beast, Nightwing and Superman."

Pepper looks scandalised. "You're studying the people who helped you?"

Tony shrugs. "You can never know enough Pepper," he justifies it. "Jarvis, conclusions please."

"Certainly Mr Stark. Beast falls in known parameters for x-gene mutants. Possesses enhanced strength, speed and agility."

"And a brilliant mind," Tony will willing add.

"Indeed sir."

"Our sweet little Nightingale?" Tony moves on.

"Enhanced strength and speed to extreme levels. Exact limits unknown. Was recorded moving in excess of 100 miles per hour. Rough estimate of strength would be minimally in the hundreds of tons range."

"Hundreds of tons?" Pepper says astonished. "How?"

"Scanners detected minute amounts of radiation emanating from her. Radiation matches that emitted by the Smallville meteor rocks."

"She's one of those meteor mutants?" Pepper queries.

"Indeed, that seems to be the case, Ms Potts," Jarvis confirms.

"And our Man of Steel?" Tony wishes to know about.

"Extreme levels of strength and speed at least equal if not far surpassing the estimated levels for Nightwing. Exact upper limits unknown. In addition Superman has been recorded with the ability to project concentrated beams of energy from his eyes as well as the ability to generate extreme atmospheric pressures from his lungs. He can also lower the temperature of the gases expelled below the freezing point. Additional abilities may be possible but can't be categorised at this time."

"Source of his power?"

"Insufficient data to give a conclusion."

"Clarify. How can there be insufficient data?" Tony asks, not understanding how that is possible.

"Using new genetic scanner enhancements gleamed from Sentinel technology the analysis was unable to identify any recognisable genetic patterns. Superman is an unclassifiable biological specimen."

"Speculate," Tony orders. "What is Superman?"

"The genetic patterns have no relation to any known species on Earth. All life on Earth shares basic genetic commonalities derived from having a singular ancient ancestor. Superman does not possess these commonalities. The only conclusion possible, therefore, is that Superman does not originate from Earth."

Pepper blinks. "Are you saying Superman is an alien?" she asks, unable to believe that.

"There is insufficient data to make an affirmed conclusion. It is a theory that is most likely given current information."

Pepper looks to Tony who is leaning back with a strange smile on his face. "Well now isn't that interesting," he remarks in a very understated manner.

* * *

_Author's Note: So yes Victor will be staying with Tony for the time being. Karen Grant is an alias the Ultimate Jean Grey went by when she went into hiding. Yes, Tony it is very interesting that Superman is an alien. I don't really know where this idea came from but I just liked the idea of ending the chapter with that. Thanks to everyone who wrote review. My team name poll remains open. Next up; The Hellions arrive in Bayville and Clark gets a very unwelcome reunion with someone from his past._


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

**At the Institute...**

Busy week...when isn't it busy for Clark these days but there was a lot to deal with due to the fallout of what transpired with Victor.

Unfortunately there wasn't a whole bunch of good news. There was still no sign of Lionel or hint where he might be. It seemed he had covered his tracks too well...assuming he left any in the first place.

Apparently no-one knew how a Sentinel energy cannon just managed to happen to appear in Metropolis. There was certainly no shipping record of it. It looked suspicious as hell. To Andrea it looked like people had been bribed to make sure there were omissions. Clark didn't argue.

So they were left with the task of looking for what? Every ship, plane or truck big enough that enters Metropolis. Talk about needle in a haystack.

Lex was in full scale damage control. He had taken a hit but Clark expected him to get through it.

Every time Clark and Lex cross paths now Clark sees less and less of the person he use to call his friend. Clark can't figure it out to be honest. Lex was...ok he had a tendency to cut corners and find cute ways around rules but he definitely wasn't an unfeeling person who didn't care about other people.

Now he's someone who bare minimally looks the other way when illegal human experiments are carried out and worst is complicit in them.

Talking of complicit turns out Lex knew Victor was at Star Labs for the exactly the reason Clark speculated. One of the security guards was on Lex's payroll. Ok they assumed Lex's payroll. The guard had been receiving money from one of those secret offshore bank accounts.

Clark had seen Patricia about this whole thing. She was in Metropolis dealing with it...and boy she's scary looking when mad.

She had also been meeting Lex and Clark had given her some warnings that Lex wasn't who he use to be. She, in return, asked Clark to trust her and that she knew what Lex was and what she was doing. Clark, of course, wanted to trust her and gave her benefit of the doubt.

The question was how much else had that guard fed Lex. Did he know why Beast and Forge were there? The guard 'conveniently' found himself a good lawyer and wasn't talking.

You do have to hand it to Lex. He remembers to cover every single one of his bases.

In the end the good news boils down to that they protected Victor. Clark had spoken to him over the phone during the course of the last week as Vic was currently staying in Stark's Malibu house. Nice digs if you can get them...is what Bart said.

What else is there for Clark to say after that?

Apart from that it's been a pretty normal week. Go to school, go out and patrol, listen to his sister's suggestive remarks about him and Andi, spend some time with Spidey, make a few jokes, beat up a whole bunch of criminals. C'est la vie.

They all have their lives. The X-Men go do what the X-Men do in dealing with rogue mutants. These days Clark doesn't go along with them unless really needed. Though he did pick up Scott giving Rogue a dressing down the other day for not doing what she was told.

From what Clark hears there were several trademarked Rogue eye-rolls in response.

It could be just because she is still unhappy about the fact they're developing inhibition technology that has her in a more rebellious mood than normal.

Hmm, Clark's still been meaning to talk to her about that. Seriously has not had a chance.

The other thing worth a mention is that Forge has made a complete recovery and he's back up and about at Star Labs helping Beast...at least in the parts of Star Labs that wasn't burned down. In truth their work had been fortunately spared and there shouldn't be any significant delay in them finishing the inhibition technology to have it ready.

Despite all this the most prevalent matter on Clark's mind was his night out with Andi. It had been there at the back of his mind all week and now here he was, one week later, the beginning of February and it was tonight.

What should he wear?

How should he do his hair? Normally he leaves it a mess but that won't do.

He knows they agreed this wasn't a date but in Clark's head it is and he wants it to go well and to make a good impression.

So here Clark sits in the kitchen this Saturday morning pondering his options.

"Honey," his mother's voice breaks into his thoughts.

"Hmm?" he says absent mindedly. "Yes, mom?"

"You're stirring your porridge to death," she remarks with a teasing smile.

Clark looks down at it and realises he is stirring it around and around. He brings a spoonful to his lips and almost spits it out. "It's cold!" he complains.

"That is what happens when you sit there for an hour not eating it."

"I haven't been here for an hour," Clark objects, only to look up at the clock on the wall and realise that in fact he has. "Oh," he says, looking and sounding a little bit stupid.

Martha grins. In fact Clark had been here so long everyone else had long had their breakfast and gone. She sits down next to him. "So what's on your mind...or should I say _who_ is on your mind?"

"Um, why would anyone be on my mind?"

Martha arches an eyebrow that says 'Don't try and pull this on me. I'm your mother.' "Clark in all the time I've known you only girls can get you this distracted."

"Yeah...and look how they all end," he says with a sad sigh.

Martha places her hand on his arm. "Clark I'm not going to be upset that you're moving on if that's your worry."

Is it? Well maybe a little. "You did like Rogue," he points out.

"I still do," Martha assures him. "Look I may not understand precisely what broke you two up but in time the heart heals. For boys it's always a little faster. I think it's hormones."

Clark looks at his mother oddly as her mind strays. He waves. "Hello. Your son from another planet with completely different alien hormones."

"Don't be cute Clark," Martha tells him off. "My point is if in your heart you're ready to move on then do so. Don't fret too much about what other people may think just because they have an irrational dislike of that person."

"Who has an irrational dislike of Andi?" Clark asks.

"Andi?" Martha asks back in surprise. "Andrea? You're dating Andrea?"

"Well no. Not technically...but we are going out tonight."

"Right...uh...Clark you do remember what we said after we met her? About her being in a more vulnerable place?" she asks, still sounding a little caught out.

Clark looks at his mother curiously. She seems to be...flustered for some reason. "Yeah I remember. I know she's vulnerable. She still is but I don't think I'm taking advantage. It's just a movie...as friends."

"Friends?" Martha questions him.

"Ok, well, I might be hoping for more than that," Clark confess, "but..."

"But?"

"I want to at least try. I'll take it slow. I'll let her adjust but I want this," he says with heartfelt sincerity.

Martha can hear how much this means to Clark. "Ok honey," she accepts. "As long as you're aware your father and I will support you...but why am I only hearing this today?" she asks a little miffed why Clark has kept it from her.

Clark looks at his mother and arches an eyebrow.

"Right. Your sister," Martha figures out.

Yes. Exactly. Clark had no desire to hear Claire's teasing.

"Well in case I forget later have a nice night," she says.

Clark smiles widely. "I will. Thanks mom!" he declares before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

Martha smiles while trying to hide he has completely caught her off guard with the identity of who he is taking out. Seriously, she thought he meant Betsy. They have been getting closer...or so Martha thought. She has to think Betsy may not take this too well.

* * *

Later that morning the X-Men are summoned by the Professor to his office. No-one knows what it is about. Clark and Claire got an invite too.

"What's happening Professor?" Scott asks.

"I got a phone call this morning...from Emma," he reports.

Jean's face darkens like thunder. "What did that...what did she want?" she asks, correcting herself halfway through before she said something...unkind.

"To...inform us her students are moving in to the Boarding House today."

Clark isn't that surprised at this news. He's passed the Boarding House a few times to observe the work being carried out and he knew it was nearly finished. Emma had employed efficient builders.

"Why would she, like, do that?" Kitty wonders about why Emma would tell them in advance.

"She expects us to go over and watch them move in," Scott answers, knowing enough about how Emma thinks to guess her motives.

"Why?" Evan asks, not understanding that at all.

"It's about marking territory. She's making sure we're aware that the Hellions are here to claim their stake."

"What do we do?" Marie asks, her voice full of trepidation. She's been dreading this day for weeks when she would face the prospect of more regular contact with her former teammates.

"We should go," Storm proposes. "We should see who it is we have to deal with."

"Vouldn't zhat cause a fight?" Kurt worries.

"Not necessarily," Scott argues. "You weren't there Kurt but if I remember Emma's sister's words correctly they at least want to put on a show of being civil and friendly so I would doubt they would start something in the middle of the street."

"Not to mention they didn't use their powers," Evan adds. "Maybe they don't want to reveal they're mutants just yet," he proposes.

"I personally would like t' go," Sean says. "I would very much like t' meet this Emma ye all keep harpin on about."

Jean snorts. "We most certainly do not harp on about her," she rejects that notion. "Believe you me the only thing I want to do is to forget Emma Frost exists," she says with a touch of venom.

Moving swiftly on Charles tries to get everyone's opinion. "Rogue, what do you think?" he asks, since she has been silent.

Rogue shrugs. "Do what ya want. Ya do anyway no matter what ah think," she says, sounding completely disinterested.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what Rogue is referring to. The Professor's decision to continue the research into the power inhibitors and develop them for practical use.

Scott takes issue. "Rogue we've already had this discussion," he says referencing what he had to say after a mission where Rogue chose to go off and do it her way and not the way he ordered. "When you're a leader you weigh up the differing opinions and choose a course of action you think is best. Not everyone is going to agree with it and you can't please everyone. That's what happens when you're part of a team."

"That wasn't a discussion we had. That was ya giving meh a lecture," Rogue gives her version of how she saw that talk.

"Because you didn't do what I ordered you too! You thought you knew better!"

"Ah did know better!" Rogue argues back. "And ah ain't some mindless sheep just doing what ah'm told!"

"I don't want you to be a mindless sheep Rogue. I'm all for people being innovative when the circumstances call for it. That wasn't one of those times!"

"Says ya!"

There is a loud piercing whistle. Domino...who has been surprisingly quiet so far. "Ok I think that's enough. This isn't the place for that argument. We're here to talk about the Hellions."

That seems to quieten Rogue and Scott down.

"Thank you Domino," Charles says gratefully. He knows it's been rough between them lately because of his decision.

"Hey, any day I get to yell at people is a good day by my standards."

"Ya have standards?" Rogue queries, making a joke.

"Oh funny," Domino dead-pans in response. "Yes, I have standards."

"Clark, Claire" the Professor addresses the siblings. "We haven't heard from you two."

"What's there to say?" Claire asks back.

"Claire, you have a personal connection to the Hellfire Club."

"You mean my asshole father? Gee, it's not like he hasn't made the effort to seek me out now is it?" she asks with a sarcastic and a little somewhat of a bitter tone. "As for my former teammates, Marie is the only one I liked," she says and she takes Marie's hand into her own and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Trust me most of them are jerkoffs. You wouldn't want them coming here, for example...except for Dust perhaps."

"I have no real opinion either way," Clark says. "If you think it necessary to see them then fine, I'll get changed into my Superman costume and come along. I definitely think Clark Kent should see them as little as possible, especially when telepaths are around," he makes the point.

"Yes. I agree with that," Charles says. "We all must continue to work hard on our mental defences," he tells them. "Logan? You haven't said anything," he queries the feral mutant's view.

"I'm with Space Boy. If the majority of ya want to go I'll come along but really I'm not bothered. One way or another, though, whatever they're here for, it'll come to ahead and I doubt we'll enjoy that day."

"Sadly I think you're correct," Charles finds himself agreeing with Logan and he doesn't usually since Logan, by nature, is a pessimist and he is an optimist. "Lets just put it to a simple vote," he decides. "Who wishes to go? Raise your hand."

The hands of Scott, Storm, Sean, Kurt, Kitty, Domino and Evan rise up.

"Those who oppose?" Charles asks.

Jean, alone, raises her hand. She doesn't want to be anywhere near Emma.

Everyone else, Marie, Claire, Logan, Clark and Rogue just offer no view one way or the other.

"The Ayes have it," Charles declares the result.

"Did Emma give a time?" Scott asks.

"Just after lunch so we'll go after our own. Apart from Clark just civilian wear. We're not going to cause a scene," Charles instructs them on what to wear and how to behave.

* * *

After lunch the X-Men do indeed make their way down to the former Boarding House. There was still some finishing touches it needed but one could see the improvement on what was there before and for some of them this was the first time they had been down here in quite some time.

They hang around in small groups apart, trying not to look too conspicuous.

Clark had zipped off to do a quick patrol round Bayville. Superman would stand out way too much but he was keeping an eye and ear tuned so he could pick up when the Hellions arrived.

It isn't too long before what is clearly a moving truck pulls into the street. Behind it is a minibus and behind that is a very expensive white car that can only belong to Emma Frost.

They all pull up to a stop in front of the Boarding House. First to step out of the car are Emma and her 'babysitter', her older sister Adrienne, both dressed in ridiculously expensive clothing as is only fitting for a member of the Frost family.

Upon seeing the X-Men Adrienne looks a great deal more pleased than Emma does. "Splendid! You came!" she declares happily with a loud clap of her hands.

Emma almost makes a face but manages to keep her mask of cold civility.

Adrienne strides over briskly to the Professor. "I'm glad you came Professor Xavier. I truly do wish to have a new relationship between our two schools. What happened in the past...well Sebastian isn't currently running things at the moment. He's been given...other tasks. I promise you policy has changed."

From his talk with Emma Charles know that's a pack of lies but it seems the games within the Frost family as well as the Inner Circle continue as always. He smiles politely. "I too wish a new relationship," he says. Truly he does wish that. In reality he knows it is most unlikely.

Emma, meanwhile, has strode up to Claire and Marie. "I must say I'm surprised to see you two here."

Claire gives Emma a cold look. "Why wouldn't we be here? We're not ashamed of our choice. Can you say the same?"

Emma's face grows extremely cold. "I guess you'll just have to live with being part of an inferior team."

Claire snorts. "Inferior? Wow, you're really full of your own shit aren't you?"

"I see your language has not improved," Emma critiques.

Claire smirks. "Kiss my...take a guess."

"I'll pass," Emma responds dryly. She look at Marie who is visibly the more uncomfortable. "Nothing to say Marie?"

Marie looks up into Emma's face. "Hello Ms Frost. You're well I hope?" she asks politely.

"As can be expected. Yourself?"

"Happy with where I am," Marie states it clearly.

"I'm certain," Emma says, her tone flat. She moves on from Claire and Marie for the moment to Scott and Jean. Now this will be fun. It is the one bright spot she sees is this enterprise. "Scott, darling!" she greets him with open arms. She takes him by the arms and kisses him on both cheeks much to the annoyance of Jean.

"Take your hands off my boyfriend, Emma," Jean warns the blond woman.

"Your boyfriend at the moment," Emma says, implying about it being temporary but does removes her hands off of Scott.

Jean's green eyes narrow dangerously and Scott can once again feel the hairs on the back of neck prick up.

"So where is that town protector friend of yours? I would so love for us to...spend more time together," Emma smirks.

"Make an appointment," a voice dead-pans.

Emma jumps and spins round to find Superman has appeared behind her. "Superman!" she says, caught out.

"Emma Grace Frost. It's been entirely not long enough," Superman replies, not sounding very friendly but considering the trip she took around his head last time they met can you blame him?

Adrienne intervenes at this point. "Excuse me? Superman is it?"

Superman turns his head to gaze at her as she approaches.

"I'm..."

"I know who you are Ms Frost."

Adrienne smiles pleasantly. "Of course you do. I can tell by your tone my sister left an unfavourable impression on you. I can only apologise. My sister was always the one with the fewest manners and uncouth behaviour."

Emma positively glares a hole into her sister for that. She still has no idea what it is her sister truly wants...and trust Emma when she says this. She knows Adrienne is up to something beyond what has been stated.

Adrienne gives an amused glare to her sister briefly before returning to the tall, handsome, young hero. "Trust me, nothing like that will be happening again. I can guarantee it," she says to him. "So fresh start?" Adrienne offers and holds her hands out.

Superman eyes the hand warily. "I am aware your mutant power is psychometry. The ability to see the history of an object or person by touch." The Professor had mentioned it so they are all extremely careful around her. Who knows what she would see if she touched him.

Emma smirks at seeing her sister outsmarted.

"I guess I can't blame you for your lack of trust," Adrienne says, sounding remarkably understanding about it as she pulls her hand back. "I hope in time I can show that Shaw and Emma's previous actions are not a true reflection of our esteemed organisation."

"I'm always willing to give people a chance," Superman tells her. "I also make a guarantee of my own. As long as your students obey the law they will have my protection the same as every other citizen."

"That's most generous of you," Adrienne responds with a smile. "Isn't it Emma?"

"Yes. Most generous," Emma parrots.

"They break the law though or threaten the innocent then I will deal with them the same as any other criminal," Superman also promises.

"That will never be an issue," Adrienne says.

"Hmm, hmm," Superman says.

All this time the Hellions have been disembarking from the minibus. When a certain one spots Superman she has the perfect line to draw his attention. "Well, well, well. I knew you'd come crawling back!"

Superman's entire body goes rigid. His jaw twitches and tightens. That voice. Oh no! He reluctantly turns his head to find the 18 year old girl with black spiky hair and tattoos all over her arms and a cheeky, impish grin on her face. "Ali," he breathes.

Alison Blaire walks right up to him, places her hands on her hips, looking smug as her eyes drift all over Superman's form before looking up right into his face. "Hello Kal. How ya been?"

Everyone, Hellion and X-Man alike, is surprised that Ali seems to know Superman. No-one is more surprised than Rogue. She thinks hard. She has a lot of Clark's memories after absorbing him. True they tend to fade away until she is only left with bits and pieces but she is still trying to see if she has one of him and Ali. She can't believe him if it is true. See this is exactly why they broke up because he kept stuff like this from her. He knew Alison Blaire was her favourite singer and did he mention this? Hell no!

Emma snaps out of it first. "You know him?" she asks Ali as she points at Superman.

Ali's lips curl up into a large grin. "Sure do. Couple of summers back. I was in Metropolis performing. I was at this club when he came up to me. He had the nerve to call me cute."

Clark snorts "Yeah, well I was obviously out of mind when I said it," he suddenly retorts...which by the way he was. That was his red kryptonite summer.

Ali pouts. "New look? I preferred the black," she comments about what he is wearing now compared to what he was wearing then.

"It was a phase. I moved on. As for you...new tattoos?"

Ali looks at her arms. It's not that cold today and she is in a light blue vest top. "One or two," she plays it down.

More like at least a dozen by Clark's count. "So you're a Hellion now? Didn't think I would live to see the day Alison Blaire got whipped."

"It's purely a business arrangement," Ali defends it, clearly sounding defensive about it, indicating Superman touched a nerve.

"Ah. I see. Let me guess, it involves a dollar sign followed a number with 5 zeros," he implies it's all about the money.

Ali snorts. "6 zeros," she corrects him.

"Oh I am sorry," he doesn't mean it. "I undersold you there didn't I. I should have known it would take a large number for you to sell out your principles...oh wait, you don't have any principles!"

"That's a bit rich coming from you!" Ali fires back. "I remember everything we got up to in Metropolis. All the places we went, all the things we saw, all the _activities_ we did together, all the things you stole!"

"It was a phase. I explained it already. I'm not who I was then."

"Obviously...and look at you now. Playing hero. My, my how we've fallen," she criticises him.

Clark comes close to sneering at her. "At least I've chosen to do something constructive with my life. You, apparently, haven't changed a bit...and that's not a compliment," he adds deliberately so Ali doesn't even try and twist it.

"You didn't complain at the time."

"Not openly but believe you me I was thinking it," he assures her...and not a lie. Even 'Kal' could see her flaws. It's just when Clark is like that he tends to overlook them for the prospective of 'getting some'.

Ali's lips curl up in a sexy grin. "Really? I kinda thought your thoughts were elsewhere...like what my mouth was doing to you."

"You're not that good a singer."

"I wasn't talking about my _singing,_" Ali says, her voice voice deep husky and extremely suggestive.

"I know," Superman says with an annoying smirk, indicating his reply wasn't about her _singing_.

Ali arches an eyebrow but takes it on the chin with a strangely pleasant grin. "I do always remember how good you smelt," she comments before leaning forward, bringing her nose to his neck and inhaling. "Hmm," she makes a moaning sound. "Still do."

Clark sniffs the air. "Is there an open sewer nearby? Oh wait, that's right. That's your natural body odour, Ali isn't it. I forgot you smell like you slept in a urinal. Actually knowing you as I do you probably did. You ever heard of a shower, Ali? Considering I don't think you've bathed since last we met I'm going to hazard a guess and say no, you haven't."

"You didn't complain about that at the time either! Then again your tongue was occupied being down my throat..." Ali's smirk grows huge, "and down _other_ places."

Doesn't take a genius to figure out what Ali is suggesting. They all look at Superman and Clark fidgets uncomfortably because he can't deny it. However, he isn't done yet. "You say that Ali, yet despite the ease with which you make the journey possible into your pants I never went there."

"Your loss,_ honey,_" Ali declares, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

"Oh no. The loss is all yours..._sweetheart,_" Superman retorts, his voice dripping in the exact same false sweetness.

"We both know you've been dreaming of this..." Ali points at herself, "since the moment I left."

"You keep telling yourself that, Ali...and I left you," he corrects her.

"What would it take to get you back I wonder?"

"You having a bath would be a start."

Ali sniffs herself. "I don't get it," she says, not seeing what he means at all. "It's just my natural alluring musk."

"Try suffocating," Superman corrects her.

Ali grins. "Ah there's the Kal I know. We should definitely catch up."

Clark scoffs. "Yeah. Right. That'll be the day."

"Come on what would it take?"

Clark looks thoughtful. He looks up at the sky briefly. "What would it take? Ok, Ali. I'll make you a deal. We'll go out, catch up, the day you grow up," he offers with a smug look because he knows she'll never grow up. "Until then I've got actual important people to go save. See ya."

And with that Superman vanishes with his usual gust of wind.

Everyone is still there standing in rapt silence at the little exchange, waiting to see Ali's response. She shudders a little and a smile grows on her face. "Damn that boy makes he hot!" she declares. She then turns and heads towards the house. "If anyone wants me I'm going to be in my room _relieving _the tension," she says suggestively as she vanishes through the doorway.

More silence.

Just not the revelations they just heard but the way Clark acted in response. Don't usually see him speak that way short of an appearance by his infamous alter ego of Kal.

Claire finally breaks it. "What the fuck?!"

* * *

_Author's Note: Aptly put Claire. Clark has serious explaining to do. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; A proper introduction to which Hellions have come and Clark explains all about him and Ali._


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Claire's expletive hangs in the air.

Angelica Jones aka Firestar is the one who responds dryly, "For this one time and only this one time I agree with you."

Logan makes a sort of snort. That was...something although he did agree with Space Boy's comments about that girl's stench. He swears his nose-hairs have been burned into oblivion.

Adrienne leans over to whisper in her sister's ear since being family members their mutant powers don't work on each other and they can't communicate telepathically. "Did you know about this?" she asks harshly.

"No," Emma replies, an annoyed look at her sister for not saving that question for after the X-Men were gone. She truly did not know Alison knew Superman...or Kal. Emma knows that name. Emma curses that name for all the damage he did. She must make a note to ring the whole story out of Alison later. Perhaps she can learn a new weakness about Superman.

Dom coughs. "So since we all want to be such great_ friends _how about a refresher on who everyone is," she suggests.

Adrienne smiles. "Of course," she says accommodatingly, taking the opportunity given to move things on. "Well I don't think Alison needs much of an introduction."

"Uh, no, not really," Kitty says. Being Rogue's room-mate she knows plenty about the punk rocker due to the Goth's love for Alison Blaire. Course what she knew nothing about until right now is how the hell Clark knows her. In fact she's still a little sketchy on the details...ok a lot sketchy on the details.

"Christopher," Adrienne addresses the leader of the Hellions. "This is Christopher Aaronson," she reintroduces him. Better known as King Bedlam.

The 18 year old bald African-American young man steps forward. "Yes Ms Frost?" he inquires.

"Please introduce everyone," Adrienne commands.

"Yes, Ms Frost," he replies obediently.

Christopher points at the hulking mass of a human being that is the 17 year old Beef first. "Buford Wilson."

The 15 year old girl with purple hair and a tail; Catseye. "Sharon Smith."

The 17 year old voluptuous blond that is Roulette. "Jennifer Stavros."

The 16 year old, tall blond electric generating Frenchman Bevatron. "Fabian Marechal-Jublin."

The 16 year old athletically built telekinetic; Hellion. "Julian Keller."

The girl in the long black robes and veil under which is the 14 year old living sandstorm, aptly named Dust. "Sooraya Qadir."

The recently turned 16 year old microwave generating redhead has already spoken for herself; Firestar. "Angelica Jones."

There is a couple of new ones the X-Men haven't met before. One is in a black hooded cloak that hides his face. Emma speaks up for this one. "This is Allan Rennie, codename Murmur. You'll forgive him if he isn't very social. I'm afraid his mutation has had a detrimental effect on his skin. Allan pull your hood back if you will," she commands him.

The boy pulls it back a little and all you can see are bandages wrapped completely over his face, allowing no sign of what lies beneath. What lies beneath is a power Emma had been coveting for awhile. Murmur can open teleportation portals allowing quicker movement from one place to another. It has it's limitations. Like Nightcrawler's ability Murmur must see it or know it by heart.

The last new mutant is very striking. Her basic form is clearly female. She is sitting on all fours beside Dust. She has red diamond-like skin with almost luminous blue eyes that possess no irises. What you would call her hair looks like a collection of red ribbons that stretch down to her shoulder. Her fingers are long, deadly looking tendril-like claws. Her toes are much shorter claws. Her body is wrapped in what appears to be straps of black leather with several buckles at various points where they fasten together.

"This is Penance," Emma introduces her as.

"Rrrrr?" Penance makes a querying like noise at her name.

"She cannot speak," Emma explains. "And we are uncertain of how...developed her mind is," she genuinely tries to phrase it sympathetically.

Charles can instantly sense why. The girl's mind is very peculiar. He also wonders why Emma would bring such a mutant with her here. They clearly wanted to be low profile for the moment yet this Penance stands out clearly. He's missing something. That is clear.

"In other words while the lights are on we're not sure how many people are home...if any," Julian quips.

"Yes. Thank you Julian," Emma says insincerely with a glare at the arrogant brat of a boy.

"You can thank me by getting her to step shredding my clothes," Julian complains.

Jen snorts out a giggle. "She just doesn't like you Julian. You must have done something to upset her."

"I never did anything!" he claims, arms flailing about wildly.

"Really? Then why does she keep growling at you?"

"No she doesn't," Julian disputes that and tries to prove it by taking a step towards Penance who instantly snaps her head round at him and growls loudly.

Julian raises his hands up and backs off. "Ok, ok. Look. I'm moving away, see."

Penance glares at him before her face seems to soften and she turns back to observing the X-Men with an innocent expression of curiosity.

"Of course there are others who you have met who aren't here," Emma makes the comment. "They're back at my Academy." Well that is actually a small lie. Empath is in Bayville, out of sight. His manipulations of Magma firstly are promising and he can manipulate the X-Men's emotions more if they don't know he's around so don't know to protect themselves.

"Not to mention our other newer recruits at the Academy," Adrienne deliberately drops in.

"Other newer recruits, Emma?" Ororo queries from her former student.

"Well what can I say? I've been busy since...all that unpleasantness we had," Emma plays it off with a false innocent air. "Think of them as you do your...what's the term? New Mutants I believe you call them."

That concerns Scott. To think just how many more mutants Emma is manipulating round to the Hellfire Club's way of thinking. It seems Emma is determined to make her Hellions and her school as equal a match as possible to the X-Men and their school.

"And what of you Charles?" Emma asks of the Professor. "I see you have a new face," she says looking in the direction of Banshee "And some old ones," she says looking once again at Volcana and Tarot. "I see we've integrated ourselves quick haven't we, Marie? I saw you on the news the other day. An X-Man now is it?"

"Yes. She is," Scott answers for her in a clam but nonetheless authoritative tone. X-Men stand with one another and Marie is one of them now.

Emma smiles coldly. "I always knew you had potential Marie. It may surprise you to hear this but I'm glad you're living up to it no matter which side you are on."

"Um...thanks?" Marie offers, unsure how else to respond to that.

Emma turns her gaze to Claire next to Marie. "Claire. Your father sadly couldn't be here. Other matters keep him occupied but last I talked to him he wished it to be known to you you remain in his thoughts."

In response Claire says, "You can tell him to go fuck himself."

"Why such hostility?"

"Don't treat me as stupid, Frost. Don't think I can't figure out his bullshit about thinking me dead. I was rescued after the meteor shower. You're telling me someone of his power and influence couldn't have found me? He chose to abandon me. He chose to leave me to grow up alone on the streets for 10 years! Lionel Luthor had me stuck in a lab and I had needles jammed into my fucking head! And pray tell where was my goddam father during all this? No-fucking-where!"

"Perhaps we should move on," Adrienne suggests although on the inside she likes this division between Shaw and his daughter. Since Adrienne is not in Shaw's camp anything that potentially weakens a rival within the Club is good news for her.

"Ya think?" Claire asks her with utterly no respect.

Charles holds his hands out in Banshee's direction since Emma noticed him. "This is Sean Cassidy," he introduces the man with curly red hair.

Sean steps forward, takes Emma's hand and kisses the back of it. "Such a delight t' meet a woman o' such fine class and beauty as yourself," he says with his charming roughish smile and his melodic Irish lilt.

Well even if Emma thinks it's an act it's always nice to hear compliments.

Sean makes an equally complimentary remark to Adrienne.

The introduction of the rest of the X-Men doesn't take long since it hasn't changed since last time they met. Professor X, Cyclops, Jean, Spyke, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Domino, Wolverine, Storm and Rogue.

"No Henry?" Emma queries at the lack of Beast.

"He's having a vacation away from us," Charles explains it which is not a complete lie. "You know how it goes Emma. Looking after students is stressful. He's recharging his batteries."

"Indeed," Emma can only agree too readily.

Adrienne claps her hands together loudly. "Well now I hope this signifies the start of how I wish for our relationship to be much more productive, beneficial and on friendly terms Professor," she proclaims. "After all in the end don't we both desire the same thing. A world safe for mutants to live in?"

"You'll forgive me if I'm sceptical," Charles says warily.

"Of course. As I said I hope to demonstrate how Sebastian and his way of thinking is not a true reflection of the Hellfire Club or its aims."

Charles so wishes he could believe her but Emma already told him its nonsense...behind Adrienne's back of course...but he'll play along if for no other reason than to see if any more of Emma's students can be persuaded to join him. Claire and Marie have spoken of a couple who might, particularly the one called Dust.

Charles feels it a duty to help free them from the negative influence of the Inner Circle before it completely twists their young minds and turns them into not so pleasant adults.

"We must get together and discuss in detail many things," Adrienne proposes. "I know an alliance is a long way off but there is much we could still do to prove our sincerity over a new beginning. Joint training exercises, perhaps even a student exchange."

"Those are things I would be happy to discuss," Charles says...and those ideas not without merit as long as they are cautious and take proper safeguards. "I'm also certain they can wait until you are properly settled in. We should go and leave you now. You know where we live when you wish to talk."

Adrienne smiles pleasantly. "Yes. You are correct. It was very nice to meet all of you under better circumstances than last time," she says, referencing the fact they met after that brawl.

The X-Men turn to leave.

"Oh Scott!" Emma calls out, stopping him. "I just remembered we never did have that dinner for us to catch up."

Scott looks at her oddly. "After all that has happened?" he questions that.

"I'm not going to apologise, Scott," Emma says first off.

"Like that would ever happen," Jean mutters. Emma never apologises for anything.

"However circumstances change. I did what I felt was necessary at the time under the orders of my King. The Lord Imperial has dictated a new path. My sister will vouch that I am following it, won't you Adrienne?"

Adrienne forces a smile. "Yes. My sister has been...very good lately," she grudgingly has to say.

"Prove things have changed Emma and I'll consider it," Scott lays down his minimal condition for even entertaining her suggestion.

"What?!" Jean shouts at him in disbelief.

"Not the place Jean," Scott tells her off from having that debate now.

Jean bites her tongue only because she agrees she won't do this in front of Emma but they are so having words later!

"Things have changed," Emma vows and that is true. Things have definitely changed.

"We'll see," Scott says sceptically and with that the X-Men do make their departure.

Emma turns to her students. "Well?" she asks them. "Don't just stand there. Get to your rooms and unpack," she orders. "Dust, keep an eye on Penance will you?" she asks the Afghan girl.

Dust bows her head. "As you wish, Ms Frost." She looks down at the red coloured girl. "Come Penance. Let us find our abode shall we?"

"Rrrr," is all Penance says and willingly follows Dust. For some reason Emma can't figure out Dust seems to have a calming effect on Penance.

Adrienne eyes her sister with a hostile gaze. "What was that about with Cyclops?" she wants to know.

Emma sighs. "Lets not pretend we like each other Adrienne. We both know we don't," she says, wishing to make it clear where they stand.

"Granted."

"But I will do what the Lord Imperial ordered. You want to destroy the X-Men then you need to pry Scott Summers away from them. He's the crucible around which the whole thing functions. Take him away and it will all crumble down leaving them utterly vulnerable. At that point some will join us, the rest that refuse...well we both know what will have to happen then."

"And Superman?" Adrienne wonders what about him.

Emma chortles lightly. "You will want to try and avoid that fight, trust me...and not just because we've been ordered to leave him to Selene," she warns her older sister.

"Just because you failed," Adrienne accuses.

"It has nothing to do with what I did or did not do. It was because I got a front row seat to discover just how dangerous he really is. He is more powerful than you can imagine, Adrienne. Even Selene fears what he'll become one day. That's why she wants him dead now before he grows fully."

"Oh my God, you're afraid of him," Adrienne realises.

Emma gives her sister a cold look. "Not at all," she denies that. "I've seen him in action. I understand better than you what it would take to defeat him. Without finding a weakness you wouldn't stand a chance."

"Doesn't magic work on him?"

"If you can get Selene out of her rehab then go ahead. Otherwise we take it cautiously, patiently. We study him, find where he is vulnerable and exploit it only when we are ready to make our final move against the X-Men to get him out of the way. He's the sort of person you only get one shot at."

"We'll see about that," Adrienne mutters.

Emma almost rolls her eyes. Her sister is an idiot. She can see what this is about. Adrienne wants to defy the Lord Imperial's order and take down Superman herself in the belief it will elevate herself. Her sister's blind ambition will be the end of her but Emma will be damned if she allows Adrienne to drag herself and her students down with her sister.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

It was much later in the day and Clark was getting ready to leave for Metropolis for his night out with Andrea. He had basically been out all day to avoid the inevitable questions regarding himself and Ali. Clark just didn't want to answer them. Hell, he hated thinking too much on that period of his life. Now he just had to sneak out of here and be gone before anyone noticed him. He opens his door...to find his parents plus his sister waiting for him. "To quote Betsy, Bugger," he curses.

Claire smirks. "Bugger indeed matey! We're staging an emergency family meeting!" she informs him.

"You really don't want to hear this," Clark warns them beforehand.

"Let us be the judge of that, son," Jonathan tells him.

Clark sighs. He can tell from his father's tone he's not avoiding this so he steps back to allow his family into his room. Thankfully Bart wasn't here at the minute. Clark would never live it down if Bart was to learn about this.

The door gets shut. Clark sits down on his bed while his mom, dad and sister sit on Bart's bed to give him the illusion of a little space. "I'm guessing Claire filled you in," he starts this conversation.

"Yes," Martha confirms. "Clark...we're not judging you but we need to know what is going on. What happened with you and Alison Blaire?"

Clark runs his hand through his hair before he looks at his family, his eyes darkly serious. "We've avoided talking too much about my summer in Metropolis on red kryptonite because I think deep down you were afraid to ask about it...and you were right to."

"Son, this isn't a judgement," Jonathan tells him...although he isn't arguing about Clark's reasons why they have avoided talking about it.

Clark shakes his head a little. "Do you know how many girls there were that summer?" he asks them. "There was at least 1 every night for 3 months. Do the maths."

Claire whistles. "Wow we were really spreading our wild oats about weren't we," she jokes.

"I never slept with any of them," Clark insists. "Kal has an extremely short attention span. They usually bored him...me long before then."

"Really? Cause that Blaire girl implied a few things. Like you sticking your tongue down certain..._places_."

Clark looks uncomfortable. "Ali...Ali managed to get Kal's...my attention for a few days longer than most. I'll confess. She's extremely charismatic...as you know from her concert, Claire. When she's in the mood she can get thousands of people eating from the palm of her hands."

"Did you eat her?" Claire asks. "And I'm not referring to her hand?"

Clark rolls his eyes. This is getting ridiculous.

"Did you Clark?" Martha asks him bluntly.

"Fine," he says sharply. "You want to know? Ok. We got to 3rd base. Happy?! Is that what you wanted to know?!"

"People define 3rd base differently, son," Jonathan points out.

"I can't believe we're having this conversation," he mutters. "I'm sending you all my therapy bills," he promises.

"Clark," Martha snaps lightly. "Answer the question."

"In front of her?" Clark asks, pointing at Claire. "You can't be serious. Not when who knows what she and Marie get up to and she doesn't get this sort of interrogation," he complains.

"Oh don't worry about that. We've got 'The Talk' pencilled in for your sister," Martha assures him.

"Say what?!" Claire exclaims. "Mom!" she objects.

"Don't mom me," she tells her daughter. "Just because you like girls doesn't mean you're immune. You still need to know the basics and while Marie may not be able to get you pregnant but there are still plenty of STDs you can catch."

"I so don't need to hear this," Clark complains.

"Oh shut the fuck up!" Claire snaps.

"Bite me!"

"Clark! Claire!" their parents yell.

"You want to know? Fine!" Clark snaps, having had enough. "Yes. I had oral sex with Ali! Is that what you wanted to hear?! But that is as far as I went. I did not sleep with her! There has been no-one but Rogue!"

Clark rises to his feet and grabs his red jacket. "Now this is as far as I want to talk about it, ok," he refuses to go into further detail on what he and Ali did that summer. "Once Ali left town for her next gig I never saw her again until that night of her concert here in Bayville but if you want any piece of advice stay as far away from her as possible."

"What does that mean?" Claire asks.

Clark slips his jacket on. "You don't have a clue who Alison Blaire is. If you think Kal is self-destructive by nature Ali makes me look like a pretender. Her mother walked out on her when she was little. Her father is a piece of shit."

"Clark! Language," his mother snaps.

"This time I'm not retracting it. He is. When Ali got her recording contract Carter Blaire made sure it was worded so he basically got all the money. Yeah, that's right. He screwed his own daughter out of her true earnings. That's why she sleeps in her car because she can't afford a hotel room. She drinks, she smokes, she does drugs. All her tattoos and piercings...you know why she has so many?"

They all shake their heads.

"It's the pain. She gets off on it. It makes her feel something. Ali will implode before she hits 25, if not sooner, I promise you and when she does be nowhere near her because she will take everyone around her down the drain with her. No, I don't want that to happen before you ask but it will. Now I'm done talking about this. There are perfectly good reasons I don't raise what happened in Metropolis because you have no idea, no idea at all, just how low I sank and you don't want to know. Hell, I don't want to know but unfortunately I have a perfect memory and can't forget it."

Martha and Jonathan look at their son with deep concern, thinking they've let this fester for far too long but Clark doesn't look like he is in a mood to share any more.

Clark's expression is incredibly intense. "I'm not meaning to be rude or disrespectful here. I'm really not. I know you're only doing this because you care but what I did during those 3 months is just not something I feel like sharing. Now Ali's here. I can't change that though I sure as hell can avoid her."

"Clark," Martha starts to plead with him.

"I have to get to Metropolis and meet Andi," he cuts his mother off. "Then I'll probably go up to the Fortress so I may not be back until Sunday night," he informs them. "If there's an emergency phone me. Otherwise I'd appreciate some alone time. Goodbye," he says before he is gone with his usual gust of wind.

"Well that's fucked up," Claire remarks at the fact her brother is more screwed up than she is for once.

That earns her a severe look from Martha and Jonathan.

* * *

Sam is in his room, lying on his bed, mulling over the training session for his team...with still no name. He still hadn't made a decision on that but he was narrowing down the options. This team leader thing is much harder and involves much more work than Sam thought. It amazed him how Scott managed to make it look so easy.

For example, disciplining a team-mate for breaching the rules. That's hard when the person involved happens to be your friend. He hates to imagine what he would do if he ever has to discipline Tabby.

Speaking of Tabby she is seriously annoyed at the lack of smoochy time with her boyfriend. She enters his room, making her hips sway as she walks. She smiles when she spots Sam's eyes glue themselves to her hips. She jumps on the bed and literally straddles him which brings his eyes level with her chest...just as she intended.

Sam blushes and averts his eyes upward to look Tabby in the face.

Tabby finds Sam's old-fashioned chivalrousness so darn cute she wants to eat him up. "So," she says.

Sam arches an eyebrow. "So?" he echoes. "Is there something ah can help ya with Tabs?"

"Lots of things!" she declares and that always makes Sam worry when she uses that tone. "But first you can say this..." Tabby clears her throat. "Tabitha Smith you were right. You're always right. You're also the funnest, hippest, sexiest girl I have ever known."

"Can ah ask what ya are right about?" Sam wonders.

"Clark and Alison Blaire, duh!"

Oh that! Sam recalls Tabby thought Clark knew Ms Blaire after that concert. Clark had skilfully avoided any probing from Tabby on the whole subject for weeks. Now however it turns out Tabby was right. Sam had heard all about what happened when the X-Men went to visit the Hellions. "You were right Tabby," he accepts.

Tabby smiles smugly and kisses Sam on the lips deeply. "Hmm," she moans in pleasure. "You know from what I hear Clark and Ali got quite intimate."

"Tabs ah don't want ta think about Clark and Ali when all ah want ta think about is you," he says sincerely.

Tabby's heart flutters at the depth of his words. She kisses him again with more passion, her hands running through his dirty blond hair. She kisses him until she has to stop and gasp for breath. "Tell me you have some free time," she demands, her eyes blazing with passion.

Sam gulps for breath at her intensity. "Ah always have free time for you."

Tabby's lips curl up into a positively wicked sinful grin. "That's just what I wanted to hear!"

* * *

**Metropolis...**

The place Andrea had chosen for her and Clark was this really old small cinema tucked away. The architecture was classic. Had to be nearly a hundred years old and when it was built Clark reckons this street was a much more prominent one but as time passed, Metropolis grew, the focus moved on yet the building stayed.

Truth is Clark prefers the old from the new. Old buildings have stories and you can feel them in their walls. Maybe it's the same part of him that looks to be a journalist that searches for stories to be told.

Course there is one downside to 'classic' architecture. It is not designed for someone Clark's size. It's built for the 'average' person. As healthcare and diet have improved over the decades what is average today would be considered big in the past so an old 'average' sized chair is horribly crushing for Clark.

It meant he and Andrea were very close together. Snug is a good word. He fidgets and tries to get himself more comfortable which ends up with his arm around the back of Andrea's seat.

Andrea turns her head and looks at him, her eyebrow arched. "Huh and I thought this wasn't a date," she remarks. "You always work this fast?"

"The seat's too small. I'm just trying to get more room," he quickly justifies his actions.

"I see," she drawls.

_'Great,' _Clark thinks sarcastically. She probably thinks he spun that whole thing about hanging out as friends to put the moves on her.

Andrea turns back to the screen. She believed him but it was so rare she got to have fun she's letting him suffer. She grabs some popcorn from the bucket in her lap and throws a few pieces in her mouth. She catches him looking forlornly at the bucket. He's probably worried that reaching for it when it is in her lap will get him in more trouble. She inwardly smirks. "Popcorn?" she offers.

"Uh, um. No. I'm good. Thanks."

"Well if you want some don't be shy. Then again I guess I don't have to worry about that," she teases him.

"I explained that. It's the seat. It's too small. It was a completely innocent move...no wait. Not a move. That's not what I meant," he rambles on.

Andrea's grin grows wide. This is too good. She has to stop herself laughing lest she tip Clark off she's playing with him. The lights dim and the movie starts. She loves these Grey Ghost moves. Makes her feel like a little kid inside. Makes her, for one moment, remember back to when her mother was alive and she was happy.

As the movie plays out Clark has to say he is getting to see something he is not sure he has ever seen around Andrea. She's relaxed, untethered, natural. Herself probably. Normally she is more tightly wound up in control than he is.

As more time passes Clark finds she leans into him closer and closer which only makes him too aware of her. Her smell, the feel and softness of her body. Yeah, that's not helping him keep his thoughts in the 'friends only' area.

It is only once the movie ends Andrea realises just how intimately close she's gotten to him with her head resting on his shoulder. She is only too aware of him. Just the sheer size of him and warmth and that oddly unique odour only he possesses that confounds her senses' ability to quantify it.

Andrea coughs and raises her head.

"So, uh, I can see what you meant. You do love those movies," Clark says.

Andrea smiles. "Yeah. I really do."

"Have you seen that one before?"

"Couple of times but it never gets old," she insists.

"We should get going," he says.

Andrea nods and they stand up together. As they enter the lobby Andi spots the owner of the cinema, a friend of her mother's. "Bernie!" she calls out his name.

The middle-aged and balding man smiles at seeing her. "Andrea," he greets her warmly. His eyes then turn to the tall boy in the glasses with her. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Clark Kent. Clark. This is Bernie. He owns the place."

Clark offers his hand. "Very nice to meet you, sir," he says politely.

Bernie takes the hand and shakes it. "Nice to meet you. It's good to finally see little Andi here going out with someone again," he remarks. He had been really concerned about her after her mother died. She was so full of anger and grief he worried she might do something stupid.

Andrea's eyes go as wide as saucers at the implication. "What? No, we're, uh, not together. Clark's a friend."

"Right," Bernie says too easily.

"Don't start Bernie," Andrea warns him. "You were the one who tried to set me up with that complete jackass of your neighbour and what did we agree after that?"

"That I wouldn't interfere in your love life," he recalls.

"Exactly. Have a good night Bernie," she says as she walks off with Clark in tow.

Bernie watches her go and looks to the heavens. "I really hope she lets this one in," he says, hoping it reaches Andrea's mother, wherever she is now.

* * *

Being February the nights still have a chill to them but neither Clark nor Andrea feel it so they decide to talk a long walk back to her apartment.

"You're awful quiet tonight," Andrea observes about Clark.

"Hmm?" he queries.

"You're quiet. You've only made half your normal quota of lame jokes."

Clark gives her a look.

Andrea grins unashamed.

Clark sticks his tongue out at her.

"Mature," she remarks.

"Sorry. Stuff on my mind."

"Want to talk about it?"

Clark sighs and stuffs his hands in his pockets. "You remember you said you heard about me a couple of summers back?"

"Yeah," Andrea replies. She remembers. 'Kal' made quite a reputation for himself.

"It's a long story. I was going through some stuff. Ran away from home. Really I wish I could take it all back...or at least forget it all," he says with regrets pouring off him.

"What does this have to do with your mood tonight?"

"Today something...or should I say someone from that summer walked back into my life."

"Brought up bad memories, huh?"

"Yeah. Honestly I could have done with not seeing her again."

"Her?" Andrea asks, her voice growing in intensity.

"Her name is Alison Blaire. She's a punk rocker. She was in Metropolis for a gig. Met her in a club."

"Ok I know you aren't old enough for clubs."

"I really didn't care too much right then and as for Ali...she can pretty much get anywhere she wants."

"Did you two...?"

"We had a thing. Normally I wouldn't have gone near her. I was...in a really bad place Andi. I know it's not really an excuse."

Andrea touches her hand to his arm and stops him. He looks at her so full of guilt and remorse it is heartbreaking. "Hey. If anyone knows about being in a bad place it's me," she says softly, not judging him.

"Aren't you the one who doesn't like lame excuses?" he asks wryly.

"You just said you're not trying to excuse yourself. Besides the emphasis is on the lame. I'm sure your reasons were valid."

"You're putting more faith in me than you should, Andi," he cautions her. "I'm not a saint. I've done...regrettable things."

"I almost killed a man in cold blood, remember. You and Claire stopped me."

Clark avoids looking at her. How can he tell her he did kill. An innocent baby at that. "I hate this," he whispers. "I've always hated this. The lies, the secrets, the misdirections, the omissions. Is it any wonder Rogue decided she had had enough of it. No-one deserves my burdens."

"Burdens are easier when they're shared," Andrea offers in a quiet voice.

Clark smiles timidly. "Sounds wonderful in theory, Andi. In practice, at least for me, the reality is quite different. I don't want to dump them on you. You don't deserve anything more to be placed on your shoulders."

"I'm a big girl, Clark."

"That I've noticed," he quips.

Andrea chuckles. "You know what I mean. I can decide what I can and cannot take."

"If I ever did...and I'm not sure I should, you will look at me differently Andi," he tells her, warns her. And people do. Even his friends who accept it. You adjust your thinking that he is one thing, a human with powers to the fact he is an alien.

"No. I won't."

"Yes. You will," Clark assures her and the certainty in his voice shows Andrea how he completely believes that.

They walk along in silence. Andrea isn't sure what else there is to say in response to that so she changes track. "So what did you think of the movie?"

"Not bad but not to denigrate your secret love your hero isn't very bright. I solved who was behind it all after 5 minutes."

"Did you now?" Andrea asks sceptically, thinking he is just saying this to annoy her.

"Yep," Clark confirms, popping the p.

"Well I'll admit that isn't the best of the series," Andrea concedes. "I myself worked it out the first time I saw it in 4 minutes and 59 seconds."

Clark catches the teasing glint in her eye. "Uh huh. Well actually I rounded up. I figured it out in 4 minutes and 58 seconds," he claims.

Andrea glares at his little smug 'Oh ha ha ain't I funny' look and gives the only appropriate response. She slugs him on the arm.

"Ow!" Clark whines. "Why are women always hitting me?!" he complains.

Andrea shakes her fist out. "Jesus, your arm's like granite," she grimaces at the pain in her hand that is shooting halfway up her arm.

"How thoughtless of me to be virtually invulnerable," he muses drolly, playfulness in his eyes.

"You say that and then wonder why you get hit?" she asks wryly.

Clark takes her hand and gently kisses each of her reddened knuckles as if trying to make it better. "There. How's that? Better?" he asks.

Andrea smiles softly. Most people would not be so considerate. It's really touching the way he seems to care. "Yes. Thank you." She takes a step nearer him and puts her arm around his waist.

Clark responds by putting an arm across her shoulders. They don't speak to explain why they are doing this but neither objects.

"This is nice," Andrea offers.

"Yeah. It is," Clark agrees.

"We should have done this before now," she says about them just hanging out.

"You don't hear me arguing."

"Is that because you want to spend time with me or away from Bart?"

"Hmm, do I have to choose?"

Andrea chuckles. "How is the annoying little twit doing?" she asks.

"Well I haven't killed him yet."

"I would have."

"I completely believe you...but no he's fine. Still has no memory of who he is or where he comes from but we're trying to track his family down. In the meantime he seems to have developed a crush on Jubilee, one of the girls at the Institute."

"I feel sorry for her...and how's my favourite dog doing?"

"Shelby? He's good. Settled in really well. Even he and Lockheed get on...although I swear they're plotting something."

Andrea looks at him oddly. "You are aware how that sounds right?"

"Yeah. Doesn't make me wrong."

Andrea opens her mouth then snaps it shut. She couldn't disagree with that.

* * *

It is a good couple of hours later before the two reach Andrea's apartment. They're sharing a laugh. They have shared a good few laughs. True it's been by avoiding those slightly trickier topics but sometimes taking a night to forget your worries and your problems can do you a lot of good.

They stand there smiling at each other.

"Thank you for a great evening, Clark," Andrea ventures her opinion.

"I should thank you. The movie was your suggestion," he offers in return.

"It was...fun," she says.

"Yes. It was."

"We should do this more often," she suggests.

Clark pauses momentarily. He has so many other commitments on his hands but he can't deny his attraction to Andi or his desire to spend time with her. "I would like that."

"So I guess this is good night," she says.

"Yeah. I guess it is."

Andrea looks up into his face. He smiles at her. Her heart flutters as it always does. Blood pumps a little harder in her veins. Heat seems to fill her and...oh what the hell! She steps forward, rises slightly on her toes and brings her lips to his. Her arms circles his neck and she pulls him in.

Clark is a little surprised by the kiss but soon responds to it, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. He still can't get over the uniqueness of kissing someone and not having to think too much about controlling himself lest he hurt them.

They eventually pull slowly apart.

"I...I thought you said you only wanted to be friends," he says, a little breathless.

"Friends can kiss each other," she offers innocently, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling.

Clark shrugs. "Yeah. Ok," he accepts that and lowers his head once more kissing her deeply and making a low pleasurable note escape from the back of her throat.

When it's over Andrea flashes him an enormous smile before she turns and opens her apartment door. "Goodnight Clark," she whispers.

"Goodnight, Andi," he returns.

Andrea enters her apartment and shuts the door. She leans against it blowing out a breath, wrapping her arms around herself. She closes her eyes and remembers the feel of Clark's arms around her. "Yeah. Ok, so we might be more than friends," she mutters to herself.

Clark stands there a few moment and runs his hand through his hair. "I really don't think friends kiss each other like that," he mutters to himself.

* * *

_Author's Note: I didn't want to flood the story with Hellions so chose to just keep it down to a small-ish group of them for now. And it seems Ali's appearance has touched a raw nerve for Clark, making his reaction must more hostile and rude than normal. Then again what did he get up to for 3 months? The show skipped over it but he could have frankly done any number of bad things he would love to forget about. I wanted Clark and Andrea's 'date' to end on a nice note but they are still not really opening up to each other especially Clark and his alien status so they are still a long way from a proper relationship. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My team name poll is now closed. Thanks to everyone who voted. Next up; the Hellions show up at Bayville High for their 1st day of school and the inhibition technology is now ready for use._


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

**Bayville High...**

It had been over a week since the Hellions moved into Bayville and in truth the X-Men hadn't seen much of them. Next to nothing really. Clark had zipped by once or twice to have a look and it seemed like they were simply continuing moving in, finishing off the refurbishment of the house and so on.

Clark hadn't seen Andrea again. Talked to her as they do over the phone but not seen her and as for their 'relationship' he wasn't sure where they stood. Definitely more than friends but clearly Andrea wasn't comfortable with the idea of a proper relationship. In fact she seemed to have markedly cool on them meeting up again if their last conversation is anything to go by.

So Clark can go with that she isn't his girlfriend. In other words Clark was clueless about what to do. Take a gamble, take a step forward on his own initiative and risk frightening her off or take a step back and just assume their kiss was what? A one-off?

Clark's stuck. He stuck not only due to Andrea's issues but his own. A proper relationship would mean telling her the alien stuff and he...just doesn't want to. So make of that what you will. Now you can see why Clark has so many exes. He sucks at this.

One step forward, one step back it seems as far as he and Andrea go.

So it was getting on to mid-February and on one awful wet Monday morning the students, as usual, make their way to school.

When the mini-bus stops they find themselves parked behind another one and out of that one come several familiar faces. The Hellions...or at least the ones who can pass for human. Seems like they are still hiding what they are.

"Vell I guess zhat vas inevitable," Kurt comments.

Scott frowns. It probably was. In fact he had pretty much assumed the Hellions would end up coming here and had been preparing for it. He can feel Jean's annoyance about it.

Course he had felt Jean's annoyance for days for him saying he might consider a dinner with Emma. Scott knows she can't be trusted but he can still remember that girl who gave him his first kiss. He believes Emma is duplicitous and self-serving, yes but completely uncaring or evil, no.

If there is anyway to get Emma to see reason Scott must take it. In fact with Emma's older sister around it might be possible now. If Scott understands it Adrienne is Emma's 'babysitter' from the Hellfire Club. Scott knows how much Emma loathes her family. She can't be happy. It might be a chink in Emma's armour. It might be possible to make Emma see that the Hellfire Club isn't the path to anything good for her.

"We talked about how we're handling this," Scott reminds everyone. "Don't let them push you into using your powers, no matter what they do."

"So does that mean ah can still hit them if ah don't use mah powers?" Rogue inquires.

Scott's face puckers slightly. "Try not to unless you have no choice," he offers back.

"So that's a yes. Good ta know," Rogue says, sounding surprisingly happy about that.

"You alright honey?" Claire asks Marie with concern for her girlfriend..

Marie takes a fortifying breath. "I'll deal with it. I have to."

"Don't worry. I'll fry the first one who insults you," Claire promises.

Marie smiles. "What about you and your..." she lowers her voice, "secret identity?"

Claire pushes the glasses on her face up her nose. Yeah she was trying to copy Clark on that front. She wore a holowatch that changed her hair and eye colour and subtly altered her facial features. However the Hellions know who she is unlike most other people. Still there's the issue of proving it to anyone without giving themselves away. Truth is if it falls apart, it falls apart. Claire knew there was a high risk it would. She'll deal with it then.

"This is going to be fun," Clark mutters as he pushes his glasses up his nose. If he was to hazard a guess he doubts the Hellions will think very much of the nerdy human, i.e. him.

Betsy hears his mutterings and promises, with a cheeky wink for good measure, "Don't worry, luv, I'll protect you."

Clark shoots her a sarcastic smile for her her humour. "I feel so much better now."

"I know many ways to make you feel better," Betsy says with just a hint of sauciness.

Clark shakes his head in good humour. Betsy does have quite a saucy sense of humour he has found.

Rogue mutters under breath at Betsy's blatant attempts to hit on her ex-boyfriend. To be honest she doesn't think Clark even realises that is what the purple-haired telepath is doing. He's kinda slow that way.

"I think I'll catch up with Jen," Alex says giving the voluptuous blond the eye.

Scott quietly groans. "Alex didn't we talk about her?" he reminds his brother. He was worried Alex was letting his hormones override his sense.

"Yeah," Alex agrees. They did. "But I really don't think she's all bad."

"And the fact she puts it all on show has nothing whatsoever to do with it," Jubilee critiques.

"I never said it didn't," Alex says with a grin.

"Alex," Scott complains. He loves having his brother around but there is so much about Alex he has still to figure out.

"Hey. I promise I'll be careful around her but come on Scott we should play them at their own game. The Prof said they would try and recruit us over but why shouldn't we try and recruit them over. They can't all be bad," he argues.

"Don't be so sure," Claire warns him. "The only one I can think of is Sooraya."

"Who?" Kitty asks.

"Dust," Marie answers Kitty's questions. "The Muslim girl in the veil," she continues so they know who they mean.

"I wonder," Clark says.

"Wonder what?" Evan asks.

"I wonder why Emma never brought Monet along. Out of all of them she was the most powerful."

"Probably thought her attitude would drive us away, not win us over," Claire reasons. Monet was so damn arrogant. Many a time Claire wanted to take that superiority complex and shove it up Monet's ass.

"Will that Blaire girl be able to see through your disguise?" Betsy asks Clark.

"Doubtful. Wanda's spell should have affected her the same as everyone else. Though in any case I will be avoiding Ali as much as possible. If you want my advice you all should."

"Yeah. You've said that already Clark," Rogue makes it a complaint about him going on and on and on about it for a week.

"I'm just trying to protect you."

"She can't beh that bad."

"I'm not dignifying that with a response."

"You're insulting mah favourite singer."

"Which is why I never said anything before. I didn't want to ruin your image of her."

"Ya know this is what makes meh glad we broke up."

"Do you see me still shedding tears over it?"

"Ok, stop," Jean intervenes. "Do you two really want to continue this and end up hurting each other's feelings all over again?"

"You're right, Jean," Clark gives the redhead that. "I'm sorry."

Jean looks to the Goth. "Rogue?" she queries.

"Fahne," she says a little reluctantly. "Ah'm sorry too. Ok?"

"Ok," Jean accepts.

"Lets just get to class," Scott decides. "But if the Hellions do choose to talk to us then lets give Alex's idea a shot. Try and find out how committed they really are but be wary of the fact they are no doubt doing the same."

* * *

Over with the Hellions King Bedlam, Christopher, is giving them the pre-school pep talk. "Remember what Ms Frost said. We're not to openly use our powers. True members of the Hellfire Club are more cunning than that. We're not blunt instruments. We manipulate and subvert with guile and class."

"Or in Jen's case using her two prime 'assets'," Julian says rudely.

Jen rolls her eyes. "Still can't get over the fact I dumped your ass can you Julian?"

"Oh I am so completely over that," Julian asserts strongly.

"Sure you are," Jen drawls in a way that shows how she doesn't believe him.

"You still going to try for the younger Summers?" Angelica wonders.

Jen smirks, her eyes sparkling with lustful mischief. "Maybe. I would like to find out more about his _surfboard."_

Fabian groans. "Really Jen?" the Frenchman asks disbelieving. "That's the innuendo you're going with?"

Jen is not the least bit apologetic.

Sooraya, as always, remains silent and out of these conversations.

Christopher rubs his temple. "Lets just remember our task here, ok? Ms Frost wants us to get close to the X-Men and see which of them is disgruntled and could be recruited over. We're here to play nice."

"I can play nice," Julian insists.

"Especially with that British one right?" Buford inquires with a leering smirk. "What was her name again?"

"Betsy. Her name is Betsy," Julian answers maybe too quickly. "Although I would rather not have to come to this school," he complains. "I mean look at all of them. Just pathetic normal humans," he says with loathing as if he might catch something from them.

"Sacrifices have to be made sometimes, mon frere," Fabian says as in just grin and bear it.

"But I'm rich," Julian argues, believing himself to be of great privilege and above this sort of thing. "I pay other people to make these sort of sacrifices for me."

Angelica rolls her eyes at the spoilt little whiny brat. She is not rich. In fact her life...it's been hard. Raised by her single father and her elderly grandmother until the older woman died. Natural causes. Old age. The medical bills were a bitch though. Way beyond what her father could afford.

Then Ms Frost showed up.

To this day Angelica is not sure how Emma knew she was a mutant or how Emma found her. Hell when Angelica's powers first manifested the word mutant wasn't even know to her. Her father and grandmother had been amazing with it all.

Anyway Emma showed up and offered to pay the medical bills and to take Angelica in to her school, saying she was a very special person. To both Angelica and her father it all sounded wonderful, like a dream that solved all their problems. A school where she could learn to control her extremely dangerous powers and no burden of any sort on her father.

Angelica agreed readily to join Ms Frost's Academy and well here she is, still trying to live up to that special tag.

"You're not saying anything Ali," Angelica says as she turns to the punk rocker and it was odd to hear such silence from the girl.

Ali shrugs. "What's there to say. I'm only here because it's in my contract to be part of this team. I fucking hated school."

Christopher tries to get a grip on his team. "Blaire for the love of God don't do anything to get yourself expelled," he warns her.

Ali makes a sneering, disinterested look as if she couldn't care less...which she can't.

"All of you just do what we've been told to. I, for one, will not defend you from Ms Frost if you don't," he warns them.

"Way to show loyalty to the team," Buford mutters.

"Lets go inside. This weather is really bad for my hair," Jen complains. She was under an umbrella but the humidity did terrible things to her hair.

With that the Hellions march in for their 1st day of school.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

With the students away to school, Charles had gathered the teaching faculty together in his office for a meeting.

"So what's this about Chuck?" Logan asks, since the Professor had been sketchy on details.

"I spoke to Hank this morning. The inhibition technology is ready," Charles calmly just states it.

There is silence. Storm breaks it. "How are we handling this?"

"That is a very good question," Charles replies with a wry tone. "Truth is I don't know. This is what this meeting is about. I've deliberately kept it secret what Hank and Forge have been working on so there was no chance of a leak and while I worked, in conjunction with Patricia Swann, in preparing the patent on the technology."

"You want to go public with it," Domino says, her tone cold and harsh.

"If this technology is to be used as we..."

Domino cuts him off. "Not we, remember," she corrects him. She isn't going along with this in any way. Course she isn't trying to stop it as she could do either.

"I know this is difficult. I don't make any denials. However by going public the authorities are forced under the scrutiny of the public and the media. This is still a democracy and those in charge are answerable to the people. It reduces the risk of the use of this technology being dictated by an extreme minority." No-one needs clarifying what extreme minority the Professor is referring to.

Logan sighs. "Look even if I ain't in agreement on this I agree about not doing it with private deals. Politicians can't be trusted."

"It is my intention to retain as much control over this technology as possible. Patricia will control the manufacturing of it...although where that facility is should be kept secret."

"Magnus?" Sean guesses as to why.

Charles nods.

"Yeah. I don't see him taking it well," Sean can imagine.

"So do we announce this through a...press conference?" Martha suggests.

Charles considers that. "Not until we work out how we would roll this out. I want this to be on our terms."

"Well from me time in th' police I know that these things do have t' be discussed t' figure out how it'll work and then what ye do is trial it in one place to see how it works, iron out th' issues that inevitably arise before ye roll it out on a grander basis," Sean makes the point, giving the breadth of his vast experience.

Charles strokes his chin. "You know I recall Clark saying he has a friend, a detective, in the local police and there has been some talk of setting up a special unit to deal with the more superpowered inclined criminal. This could be an opportunity to coordinate an approach."

"Maybe you could ask Clark to set up a meeting with her. Ask for her input...in confidential," Jonathan proposes.

Charles nods as it crystallises in his head. Yes. He could do that first before he makes any sort of announcement. "I'll speak to Clark when he returns from school," he decides. He turns to Domino and Logan. "I am aware you disagree with me on this issue but I can't say enough how thankful I am it has not created such a divide that we can't continue to work together for the sake of the students."

"Well it's not like I'm going to go back to Stryker, Doc," Domino quips in gallows humour. "Look I get why you think this is a good idea but trust me, it's not. When it blows up in our faces you'll need me to keep everyone safe. I'm here more for the students than you. No offence."

Charles smiles lightly. "None taken, Domino," he assures her. In fact he's impressed that she is so loyal to the students. She should be. It's not loyalty to him Charles has ever wanted. It's sharing his belief in the goal of peaceful human/mutant relations.

* * *

**Bayville High...**

Lunchtime and to the students of the Xavier Institute's great surprise the Hellions had been on their best behaviour so far. They had even left off Claire and Marie.

No-one expected it to last.

Alex was sitting with Jen and they were flirting, or close to, each other's pants off.

"Makes a change from ya and her doing it, doesn't it Clark," Rogue caustically mentions in a low voice.

"What?" Betsy asks.

Clark shoots Rogue a glare. "I was...not myself and lets not talk about that here, please?" he requests.

"What?" Betsy repeats in a whisper, leaning towards Clark.

"Long story. Really long story," Clark says to her. "Lets just say my inhibitions had been stripped away and I flirted with Roulette a little."

Betsy looked at him curiously. She wonders what a Clark without inhibitions is like. "Sounds like you could be fun."

Rogue snorts. "Hell no. No, he's not. He's an ass."

"Thank you so much," Clark says sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Rogue smirks.

"Ignore her," Betsy says. "Look I'm sure it can't be that bad. If you weren't yourself surely it's forgiveable."

"Hnn," Clark says with a shrug. "It's complicated Betsy. I sort of let it happen. Part of a plan last time we met the Hellfire Club."

Betsy frowns, not understanding. "Any chance I could get this story?"

"I suppose you should now the Hellions are here," Clark accepts. "Not here and now obviously," he amends.

Betsy smiles as an idea comes to her. "We could, I don't know, go out for a walk or something later. Somewhere private where you can talk freely."

"I guess," Clark agrees, not finding a reason to argue.

_'Yes!' _Betsy congratulates herself. She knows he's been distracted and spending time with that Andrea bird but she hasn't conceded defeat yet. After all has he said 'Sorry Bets, I'm dating Andrea'? No. He hasn't and until he does Betsy sees no reason to throw in the towel.

* * *

Watching on from a nearby table Julian has a deep frown on his face at seeing Betsy talking animatedly...and unless he is very much mistaken, sitting very close to that human boy.

_'What can she possibly see in that flat-scan?' _he asks himself.

Ok, yeah. Julian can't let this stand but he knows today is not the day to act. Hellions are smarter than that. He'll observe, bide his time and when the moment is right humiliate that human and show Betsy what a true superior being looks like.

* * *

**That evening at the Institute...**

Detective Maggie Sawyer has no idea how she let Superman talk her into this but here she is sitting opposite the bald telepath that is Charles Xavier in, what she assumes is, his office.

"Do you wish anything to eat or drink before we start?" Charles offers her some refreshments. He had talked to Clark after school and the result was now before him. He hoped this could work.

"No. Thank you," Maggie turns him down.

"How much did Superman tell you?" Charles wonders so he knows where he can start this conversation from.

"That you've been working on methods of containment for mutants. He didn't give exact details."

"I see. Yes. That's basically true. We have created a collar capable of neutralising a mutant's power."

Maggie's eyebrows rise at hearing this.

"And also a way to create a field of similar effect over an area that would roughly correspond to the size of the average jail cell."

"You've created the means to incarcerate mutants," she summarises it.

"Laws must be upheld. For a peaceful future the law must apply equally to both mutants and humans. I did not make this decision lightly. It has caused much debate and strife amongst my students and staff. I'm trying to feel my way forward in trying to release this technology in such a fashion to demonstrate mutants need not fear it."

"Not sure how this applies to me?"

"Two reasons. One of my staff use to be a policeman back home in his native Ireland and he suggested how new equipment would be trialled first."

Maggie nods in understanding.

"The 2nd reason is that you mentioned to Superman about the local force creating a special unit to deal with the superpowered section of the population."

"It's not to target them specifically but they do present unique challenges."

"I agree. Both reasons require a liaison to the local police through which I can speak and figure out how we make this work. The worry is that this technology is abused."

"I can see how you fear that. I can only speak for myself Professor Xavier but I arrest people based on evidence of crimes they have committed. People obey the law and I have no problem with them."

"For mutants it can be tricky. For example their powers can be very difficult to control at first."

"You fear we, as in the police, will just assume they're some crazy, forgive me for using this term, 'mutie freak', and shoot first."

Charles forgives her using the term 'mutie freak'. He can see she was simply trying to illustrate her point. "Yes. In fact, Detective Sawyer, one of the reasons I pushed ahead with the development of this technology was the very reason it can have medical uses in helping mutants who are having issues with their powers."

"You're worried the normal police don't know how to handle this."

"Again you are correct. Are you sure you're not the telepath here?" he jokes.

Maggie smiles. "Just good cop instincts."

"They serve you well," Charles compliments her.

"Thank you. You're right, by the way. We don't know how to handle mutants but how can we? We've not been trained to do so. We have no experience of doing so. You on the other hand, train your students for that very purpose."

"Are you suggesting you enlist my X-Men into the police?"

"No. Although it would be helpful to have mutants serving would it not? Working alongside human partners."

Of course. That is what Charles works for. Human and mutant living and working side by side. "Indeed. Although that would be difficult to get through Congress. They're already debating a mutant ban for the army and wish to negotiate an international treaty where all countries agree not to use mutants in their armed services."

"You can see where they're coming from. Magneto, for example, can defeat an army by himself can't he?"

"He can," Charles must concede.

"It disrupts the power balance. Whoever has the luck of having a mutant born in their country of power on that scale suddenly has the edge over all others."

"Cop instincts?" Charles queries about how she figured that out.

"You'd be amazed where they're applicable. However internal law enforcement is quite different to external projection of force," she points out.

"It would still be tricky. The anti-mutants groups grow more powerful every day."

"Yeah. Had to arrest one or two of them myself. Racist thugs," Maggie reports her experience of them. "I think we've gotten a little off topic," she says as she returns to the point before they skewed off. "No. I don't mean to enlist your X-Men. I mean if you want to remove the fear that we don't know how to handle mutants then the solution is simple. Someone has to train us how to cope with mutants," she says with a very distinct look, implying who has to do this training.

Charles blinks. "You mean us. We train the police," he figures it out. We as in the X-Men, the Institute.

"You wanted input to make sure it wasn't abused. What better way than to train the unit yourselves."

Charles never even considered that. It was...brilliant. They could teach the police the correct way to deal with mutants. Although there are issues. "Even with the correct training and equipment there will be mutants of such power you won't be able to handle them," he must caution.

"That's what you're for isn't it. This in fact frees you up. If the police can handle the average, and I know the irony of using that word, if we can handle the average mutant you're free to concentrate on those bigger threats like Magneto, and these Hellions Superman mentioned to me, that the police could not possibly cope with."

"Question is can we get the local authorities to agree," Charles cautions getting too excited.

"Politics is your area but if they ask for my opinion I'll tell them I'll support it. Heck I'll even volunteer to join this special unit they're thinking of creating."

Charles smiles at the blond woman. "You are a rare breed Detective. A most open-minded and wise person."

"Well my girlfriend might argue with you there," she jokes. She becomes serious. "I'm committed to the law, Professor and seeing it upheld. I'll support anything I think will accomplish that."

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

After getting Detective Sawyer to agree to meeting the Professor Clark's next task had been to uphold his agreement to tell Betsy the story of the Hellfire Club. Since it was still raining in Bayville he had picked her up and ran until they got clear of the foul weather.

They were now walking by the shore of Lake Erie.

Betsy calming listened to him speak and tell all about what happened previously with the Hellfire Club. She didn't interrupt much, beyond asking for something to be clarified. She loves hearing Clark talk because of the fact he is talking to her.

Beyond sensing the fact he's there his mind is just an incomprehensible jumble of thought patterns. It's so nice, especially here where they are away from other people.

Betsy can just relax her mental guard and allow her mind to flow naturally. Paradise...of a sort.

As Clark finishes his story he shoves his hands in his pockets and waits for the judgement.

Betsy takes a moment to consider her response. "I can see why people are angry at you. Don't take that the wrong way."

"I don't," he assures her. "Really I knew I'd make people mad. Just felt it was necessary...which just gets us into a debate whether I'm thinking the ends justify the means. Rogue busted me over that one."

"Is that why you broke up?" Betsy asks before quickly adding, "That's too personal. Forget I asked it."

"No. It's ok. It contributed to it. It wasn't a single thing. It was more a series of things that broke us up."

"I wasn't around Clark. I can't judge you and even if I had been I don't think I would have. I would have tried to be understanding."

Clark rubs his face. "I was going through a tough time. Felt like I was being pulled too thin."

"And now?"

"Not as thin but I still have lots of demands on my time."

"I was right before," Betsy mentions.

"About?"

"You sounding like you would have been fun when you're like that. What do you call yourself? Kal?"

Clark nods. "I'm having Jor-El fix that though," he points out.

"Shame. I would love to have taken Kal round the block," she quips with her saucy humour.

"No. You wouldn't. Kal's a jerk."

"And yet he's you."

"My argument goes that we all have inner jerks wishing to get out."

Betsy chuckles. "I guess I can't argue with that. Not considering what my twin brother is like."

"Yeah. I've heard you talk about him. I assume you're not alike."

"Not at all."

"Wanda would sympathise. She's not like her twin brother either."

Betsy shakes her head. "Man that's weird you know two people who are fraternal twins."

"I guess. One of these days we'll have to get you to meet Wanda."

"I would like that."

"Betsy can I ask you a question?"

"Anything you wish," she permits.

"Why do you keep insisting we have these little outings just the two of us?"

Oh boy. Betsy doesn't want to frighten him off but she doesn't want to lie either. "Clark, has Jean ever made mention what she thinks of the fact she can't read your mind?"

"How is that relevant?" he asks, not seeing it.

"I'll explain. Just answer me that first please."

"She mentioned it was relaxing or something."

"Yes. Exactly. Clark all the time I have other people's thoughts bearing in to my brain and I don't have Jean's level of control."

"So you do it to get peace away from everyone and relax?"

"Yes...and no."

"Glad you cleared that up," he quips.

Betsy chuckles before clarifying. "Clark I meet someone and I can hear what they're thinking. A little push and I can know basically everything about them in seconds but with you I have to actually talk to you. It's an incredibly refreshing change...and more than that, you're an incredibly nice guy and I like hanging out with you. I mean that's ok right?"

Clark smiles at her. "Yes. That's ok...and I like hanging out with you too Betsy...although no offence but I don't get your taste in music."

Betsy looks mock offended. "What's wrong with my taste in music? It's not all that different from your ex-girlfriend's if I understand it."

"I never got her taste in music either. Could be just because I'm from the Mid-West."

"So what, your taste is square dancing?"

"I think that was invented for guys like me. It's nice, simple and regimented. Not that just try and feel the music and respond to it stuff that I'm hopeless at."

"Or you're just weird?" Betsy suggests.

"I'm an alien from another galaxy. Weird comes as standard."

Betsy snorts out with laughter. She shakes her head making her purple hair sway from side to side. Suddenly Clark's hand comes to a gentle grip on her arm stopping their wander along the shore.

"Hey, look," he says in a quiet voice, pointing at something.

Through the gloom Betsy can spot a deer hovering at the edge of the trees. An idea strikes her. She raises her hand to her head and concentrates.

Clark blinks as the deer's head snaps in his and Betsy's direction and then it starts walking towards them. He looks at her and spots the concentration on her face. "Are you doing that?"

Betsy smiles and nods. "Hmm, hmm," she confirms.

"You're Dr Doolittle?" he asks with a queer look.

Betsy chuckles as the deer comes right up to her. She holds her hand out and it gets licked. "Animals are easy. They're all instinct. Just calm the fear and flight response and make them think you're not a predator. Come on give her a pat."

"Her?"

"Yep. She's a girl," Betsy confirms.

Clark gently places his hand on the deer's shoulder and strokes the soft fur.

Betsy sighs. "People. People are complex. They have feelings and thoughts which are all twisted around each other. Animals just live off instinct. Creatures that people call beasts could not be more wrong. Animals don't feel hate or malice. They don't kill out of spite or jealously or whatever dumb excuse people use. When I was growing up and wanted to be away from from all those thoughts I could hear I would just run off into the woods near where I lived. First time I heard the nasty thoughts someone had about me I ran off crying and sat on a fallen log. I can't remember how long I cried for but when I stopped and became aware of my surroundings I found all these animals sitting around me. I had called to them in my upset state and they came to comfort me."

Clark looks at her in rapt fascination, listening to her pain. "Did they, comfort you?"

"In a way, yes but in the end nothing beats a good old-fashion hug from one's mum."

"I can sort of understand. I may not be able to hear people's thoughts but I can hear every sound every person makes. I can hear them screaming for help. I can hear them cry. I can hear their prayers. I can hear...things I never wanted to."

"Like?"

"You're better off not knowing," Clark says, his voice grave.

Clark's tone makes Betsy decide not to press further. "Clark, do you think less of me?"

"Why would I think less of you?"

"For what I said about why I hang out with you."

"No," he dismisses her worries. "Rao no. I go to my Fortress not only to learn about my planet and my people but because it's the one place on Earth I can't hear anything. What shields it from detection also means I can't hear beyond it's walls. It's silence. Just me alone with my thoughts."

"Sounds nice," Betsy says, sounding a little envious. She would like a place where she could be completely alone with only her thoughts and no others trying to barge in.

"You would find it unbearably cold." Speaking of cold. "You're not too cold now are you?"

"A little but good ol' Blighty has it's fair share of cold days. I'm use to it."

"Here," Clark says as he puts his arm around her and uses his body warmth to warm her up.

"Christ, you're roasting," Betsy comments.

"Solar powered," Clark says with a smirk. He holds his hand out to the deer which licks his hand now.

Betsy snuggles into his warmth. Just the two of them here in the wild alone. "This is nice," she breathes.

Clark can't help but agree. "Yes. It is."

* * *

_Author's Note: I wanted a little cosy moment for Betsy and Clark and there it is. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; The Professor makes his public announcement about the inhibition technology which elicits a predictable reaction from a certain Master of Magnetism._


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

The last few days had been hectic ones. The Professor had been locked in meetings with the Bayville Mayor, it's police chief, it's representatives in Congress, it's State Governor, Senators and so on. If they were in a position of political power Charles had met them as he laid the ground work for what would be his grand announcement.

For the students life went on as normal, trying to get use to the Hellions attending the same school. The Hellions' holier-than-thou appearance was starting to slip as they began to muscle into the role of Bullies-in-Chief of Bayville High.

Clark was avoiding Ali like the plague...which is not entirely easy since they're in the same year and have to share classes. Oh yeah Ali is older but apparently has been massively skipping school(big surprise...not!) so has in fact been held a year back at some point in her life.

Luckily identity protecting magic spells mean he doesn't really get noticed(thank Rao!).

That evening after school the Professor informs them that very shortly he will be making an announcement about the inhibition technology.

The reaction is pretty much the same as when he announced he was developing it.

This time Clark follows Rogue after she storms off, feeling he has put this conversation off for far too long.

He catches up with her. "Rogue. Can I have a word with you?"

Rogue stops and looks at him. They were nowhere near as close as they once were. To be truthful they were not even back at the level of close friends although that doesn't mean she didn't care for him. She did. He was her first real love. In a way he would always be a part of her...kinda literal in her case. See her powers for proof. "Sure. If ya want," she agrees to a talk. "Ah'm goin' down ta tha Danger Room."

"That's fine. I'll come with you," he says.

The two walk towards the elevator to the lower levels.

Clark starts the conversation off on a safe topic. "How are you, with your powers?"

"Good. Ah've really got it down now," she asserts confidently...perhaps overconfidently.

"I don't know if I ever apologised enough for all of that."

"Clark ya don't need ta apologise. It's all good. Ah have control of mah absorption powers and ah'm now so much more useful on missions," she says cheerfully, truly loving the fact she is now one of the big hitters on the team.

"Yeah. I think I heard Scott yelling at you the other day," he broaches the subject tentatively.

Rogue rolls her eyes. "He was completely overreacting," she dismisses that. "So ah didn't do exactly what he said. Big whoop. Sometahmes ya have ta improvise when confronted with tha situation at hand."

"I don't think Scott would argue with that, necessarily."

Rogue disputes that assumption. "Yeah. He would. He's a control freak."

They reach the elevator and Rogue enters the passcode to call it.

"Since I wasn't there I know I can't make a judgement but in the end, Rogue, Scott is team leader," Clark makes the point that Scott's in charge.

"Want ta bet if Jean had done what ah did he wouldn't have reacted lahke that?" Rogue kinda accuses Scott of double standards.

"I'm not going to comment," is Clark's response, wishing to avoid a debate on something that is off topic on where he wants to steer this conversation.

The elevator doors slide open and they both step inside. After it closes Rogue's lip curve up mischievously. "Hmm, ya and meh in a confined space. Remember tha last tahme?"

"Vividly." Her and him when they were dating...and yeah use your imagination.

Rogue chuckles. "Good tahmes, huh?" she asks with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Clark smiles. He had missed the teasing side of Rogue. He hadn't seen it in quite some time and it was nice to see it again. "They were. I don't regret us being together Rogue. Only how it ended."

"Yeah. That sucked."

"Totally," he says in his Kitty impression.

Rogue and he share a laugh.

Clark finally broaches the subject he wanted to talk to her about. "So what I wanted to talk about was this whole inhibition technology stuff."

"Ya know mah opinion."

"Yes...but I don't understand it. There was a time you would have done anything for technology like this."

"There was," Rogue doesn't argue that. "However there is a difference between using it ta help people lahke meh and giving it ta tha government ta use against us."

"Your cynicism remains I see."

"No, mah realism remains. Clark this was always tha difference between us. Ya always look at tha world through rose-tinted glasses."

"I really don't," he disputes that. "I just try to believe in people. Is that wrong?"

Rogue sighs as the elevator doors open. She steps out, turns round and uses her hand to keep the doors open. "It's not wrong Clark but ya put belief in people who don't deserve it."

"I believe in you. Always did. Always will. Deep down I know you're a good person, Rogue, who tries to do what is right."

Rogue hates it when he looks at her like that. So full of faith she knows she can't live up to. "Clark, what tha Professor doing is wrong. It will beh tha undoing of us all. Now ah don't plan ta walk out but don't expect meh ta silently accept this."

"Well to be fair you use to go to your room and brood a lot."

Rogue smiles a tiny amount. That was true. "Things change. People change," she says softly but with a firm insistence about what she is saying.

"Sometimes change isn't always for the better," Clark cautions.

"And sometahmes it is. Ah'll see ya later, Clark," she says as she releases the doors which slide shut.

* * *

The next day the many members of the press gather outside the Bayville Town Hall where the Professor had chosen to have his press conference. The weather was quite mild for the time of year...so ok Charles may have asked for Storm's help in that.

Joining Charles was the Mayor, the police Chief, the State Governor, the State Senators, Congressmen. There was also Patricia Swann, since it was her company that would be manufacturing the devices. There was Beast, here to explain the technical details...to a point. In some areas it would be kept deliberately vague so as not to give others too much of a heads up. Also on a more personal front Lilandra had flown in from Smallville to show her support.

When Lilandra told her community what was going on there had been ructions. She knew there would be. Still she had made her choice to stand by Charles' side. She can only hope that when she gets back to Smallville everyone is still there and hasn't taken the extreme reaction of leaving.

Charles rolls up to the microphone as he prepares to make his address. "Ladies and Gentleman of the press I thank you for attending. I know this announcement is sudden and on short notice. There are reasons for that I think you will understand as I explain them. It has now been approximately 8 months since mutants were revealed to exist. In many ways we are all still trying to find the balance as to how we live together. I know there have been bumps along the way even at this early stage of the journey but what I said in Congress that day last year still holds as true today as it did then. It is my wish we live together in peace and that the gifts of mutants are a boon to all of humanity."

Charles pauses momentarily. He can sense the confusion. He has managed to keep them completely in the dark. The politicians wanted to keep it that way until it was all set up. Charles refused to comply. These days all it takes is one tweet by one loose lipped intern and it's out and out of control. Better to do it on his terms. Better to do it now and give people time to adjust.

"It is the bumps I referred to that this conference is about. As was said in Congress all those months ago mutants are just like the rest of humanity. There is the good and there is the bad, the misguided, the unfortunate who have fallen on hard times and for those the temptation can be only too strong to misuse their powers and break the law. There have been some, particularly amongst certain _groups..." _the anti-mutant ones, "to claim mutants act as if above the law. Nothing and no-one is above the law. A society must have laws that apply to all equally or we have no society. Now I do feel certain leeway must be given on occasion. I will be happy to expand what I mean later but I wish to remain on track. The question that has been asked is what happens to mutants who make a conscious choice to break the law. If it was a human there wouldn't be the necessity to have this conference. The police would arrest the offender. He would be tried fairly by his peers and if found guilty sent to prison if his crime warranted a custodial sentence. But what about mutants? How do you capture and contain people with such power? That is the question is it not?" he asks the audience.

Charles gives them a minute to consider their own answers to the question before he gives his own.

"It is the answer to that question that brings us here today. Today we make a number of announcements. First is the creation of a new branch of the police that will be known as the Bayville Special Crimes Unit. It will be tasked to specialise in crimes linked to those in possession of extraordinary powers...which is more than just mutants. As we all know many individuals with remarkable power have appeared these last several months. This unit will be trained and equipped by my Institute in the methods of dealing as safely as possible for both parties with capturing suspected criminals. The other part is containing them. To that end Dr Henry McCoy in partnership with Star Labs has created...a technology which can inhibit a mutant's abilities. In time and with further research I believe this can be extended to all those in the possession of special gifts."

There are lots of mutterings amongst the press pack at that and Charles can feel them chomping at the bit to ask questions...lots and lots of questions. They'll get there.

"Dr McCoy will shortly explain the technical details. Ms Patricia Swann, owner of Star Labs, has also agreed to work in partnership with myself and the good political representatives you see beside me to manufacture and supply the equipment."

Charles then changes the aim of his speech talking beyond his direct audience to the wider world. "I know many out there, mutants included, will be alarmed by this. I ask them not to be. This is just another step along the road to living in a peaceful, equal society. To reach our shared goal of that future mutants and humans must work in partnership. That is all I desire. That is all I believe every single person out there truly desires. Alongside me is Ms Lilandra Neramani, leader of the mutant community of Smallville, Kansas who will speak to this truth. For me there is no personal gain in this beyond the comfort of knowing I am contributing to building a shared future. Neither myself nor Ms Swann will profit from this. Any profits from the sale of this technology will be channelled to those organisations that work to promote human/mutant equality."

Charles once again aims his gaze down at the audience in front of him. "Now I'll hand over to our Honoured Mayor," he says passing the conference on.

* * *

**The now Hellions' Boarding House...**

Most of the students were at school. The less human ones like Catseye, Murmur and Penance remained with Emma. Arguably you could have told her not to bring them but she had her reasons for requiring them to be close to hand. Reasons she chooses to keep to herself.

Ok if she is being honest she genuinely likes home schooling them. Emma will never openly admit it but part of her would be happy simply being a teacher.

That's one reason. There are others.

Right now Emma, her sister and the 3 students are watching the press conference with utter disbelief.

Ok not Penance who probably doesn't understand what is going on.

"What is he doing?" Adrienne asks.

"I have no idea," Emma confesses. It's just...what the hell is Charles thinking giving that technology to humans! He must be going senile.

"How can you have no idea?" Adrienne asks incredulously. "You're the mind-reader!"

"And Charles protects his school with psychic shielding just like I do and he teaches his students how to shield their thoughts, if not actively puts in mental blocks to keep people like me out. He may be a fool...and this just goes to prove how big of a naïve one he is but despite that he is not completely stupid."

"I may argue that."

"Catseye agrees," Sharon says with that purr in her voice.

"What do we do?" the normally quiet Murmur asks.

"Rrrr," Penance says...and who knows what she is trying to say.

Adrienne rubs her head. "I will have to consult with the Lord Imperial," she decides. "This may require us to change what we were planning."

_'Oh yes, of course. Her sister must get orders from someone else. How utterly pathetic that is,' _Emma muses silently to herself. Then of course what is more pathetic is that Emma, for the moment, too has to go along with it. Difference between Emma and her sister though is that Emma is thinking how to get herself into a position where she doesn't have to keep doing this while Adrienne just goes along, sucking up. Emma can't believe some days that they are sisters.

* * *

**Magneto's base...**

Magneto has not forgotten that a war is coming with humanity. He has just been preoccupied with the creation of the mutant homeland down in the Savage Land. Once it is set up he will have a hidden, secure base from which to strike out at his enemies.

His hidden metallic bases across the world will become forward bases to house his elite strike teams. Like his Acolytes.

His focus on securing a future for his people also does not mean he has not been keeping tabs on all that has been happening out in the human world. He has. He makes sure to keep track of anything that might constitute a threat to his people.

And right now Magneto is watching Charles make a completely foolish decision that constitutes a serious threat to his people. Magneto cannot believe Charles would make this choice. Surely he must know how it'll end.

"Why haven't we killed that guy yet?" the superstrong female mutant Frenzy asks, furious at this.

The entire group of current Acolytes were there. Current meaning minus the treacherous, as they see it, Live Wire. Along with Frenzy there was Gambit, Ruckus, Sandman, Sabretooth, Colossus and Pyro. Magneto recently had managed to persuade Amelia Voght to join them as the resident teleporter. She had been reluctant, desiring more to simply be a nurse but Magneto can be very persuasive.

There was also the Wyngarde sisters who were taking over from their father as Magneto's resident telepaths since Mastermind's long term undercover assignment had begun. They still bickered endlessly but it was nothing that couldn't be handled.

And of course there was Polaris who was never too far away from her father nor her now quite good friend Colossus.

"You do not, ever, say that about Charles Xavier, Frenzy," Magneto snaps at her, his voice deadly dangerous.

"But...?"

Magneto glares at her hard. "Are you about to make me repeat myself?"

Sabretooth chuckles behind Frenzy's back. "Yes. Make him repeat himself. Please," he asks her because that would be amusing.

Frenzy glares at the feral mutant. She can put her fist right through him if she wanted to.

"Now all of you," Magneto addresses the Acolytes. "Leave me. I require time to think."

They all exit the room except for Lorna. "Dad?" she queries. "What does this mean for us?"

Magneto gives her a small but tries to make it a reassuring smile at the same time. "Trust me, Lorna. I'll find a solution. While I do believe I understand what Charles is thinking he is deeply misguided."

"Ok," Lorna accepts. While there are doubts over a few issues regarding her father, primarily what really happened with Wanda, she still has faith in him that he means only to do the best for their kind.

* * *

**Bayville...**

The press conference had been a draining experience for Charles. He had forgotten how much he didn't miss that. He's not really comfortable being up in front of the press. Since mutants were revealed he has somehow fallen into the role of one of the major representatives of mutantkind.

It's not what he really wanted. He just wanted to set up a school and train mutants to use their powers wisely.

It was outside influences that taught him differently, that forced him to create the X-Men as they exist now as a group that, if necessary, combats other mutants. It was Shaw that started this realisation and when Erik lost himself to the persona of Magneto it simply pushed Charles that final step.

The furore that followed his announcement and the questions that came from the press pack had taken some considerable time to go through.

He would later this evening be doing a series of interviews with the news media. Right now he had returned to his Institute to rest briefly. He was in his study which is his private place.

There is a knock on his door and smile forms on his face as he senses who it is. "Come in," he beckons her.

The door opens and Lilandra enters, her look and even her walk, oozing sophistication and class. "You know you don't need to speak with me," she gently points out since they're both telepaths.

"Habit," he explains. "Please sit," he offers her the seat opposite him.

Lilandra elegantly sits and then looks at Charles as if assessing him.

"How are you finding my school?" Charles wonders since this is her very first visit to it.

"It's wonderful," Lilandra had found it. "You must be very proud."

"I am."

"How are your students handling all of this?"

"Just as I said when last we talked. At least no-one has walked out but there are many who are unhappy. Some with perfectly understandable reasons."

"You're an amazingly sympathetic man."

"Well I am psychic you know," Charles quips wryly with a slightly strained smile.

"Hmm, hmm," Lilandra says. "And what does your psychic powers tell you about what I'm thinking?" she asks, her tone low and suggestive.

Charles arches an eyebrow. "That you have a strange craving for waffles," he says with a completely straight face.

"That's amazing!" Lilandra gasps in mock shock that he apparently guessed correctly, playing along.

Charles laughs a deep hearty laugh. Lilandra seems to have a way to bring cheer to his life.

Lilandra smiles brightly at seeing Charles laugh. "So when do you start training the police?" she asks.

Charles makes a peculiar expression.

"Still sounds weird when I say it like that doesn't it."

"How can you tell?"

"Well I am psychic you know," she quips in the same wry tone as Charles previously.

"It does sound strange...but it is necessary and I did rush this announcement before the police are completely ready so it'll be next week until they can sort out the volunteers and we decide a schedule."

"Why did you rush?"

"These days with all the social media it was next to impossible to keep it secret. Besides I wished to be the one in charge. I have to lead this no matter what price I pay personally with my standing amongst other mutants. It won't work any other way."

"To me it only raises your standing," Lilandra assures him what it means to her personally.

"Thank you."

"So I never got a chance to speak much to Ms Swann. Is she ready to manufacture this?"

"At first it will only be on a small scale and Patricia assures me they are ready for that."

"But eventually her company will have to build a new prison designed specifically for mutants though."

"Her company would only have to create the inhibition technology that would have to be installed...but yes, a new type of prison for anyone with abilities is inevitably going to be required."

"You don't sound happy."

"This is not about my happiness. This is about doing what I believe must be done, despite the risks, to secure a peaceful future."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't have happiness Charles. I could help you with that," she cheekily suggests.

"I'm certain you could," Charles says diplomatically.

Lilandra rises from her chair and steps up in front of Charles. She drops down to her knees and takes his hands in her own. "You are a very brave man Charles Xavier. Lesser men would have chosen to avoid making these difficult decisions. You chose to confront these things head on. Don't underestimate how that makes you remarkable," she says with complete sincerity.

Her words touch him deeply. "Thank you," he whispers, his voice a little hoarse with emotion.

Lilandra's sensual lips curl up. "For some women it's also a bit of a turn on," she jokes.

Charles laughs heartedly. He can't put into words how glad she came and stood by him today...but that is the benefit of being a telepath. Words are not needed.

* * *

**Hellions Boarding House...**

Emma and Adrienne are locked away from their students having a private video conference with the Lord Imperial about the current situation.

The man with the grey hair and moustache was not happy with the situation at all. "How did we not know Xavier had this technology?"

The two Frost sisters look at each other as if waiting to see which one of them drops the other in it. Emma speaks first. "We...do not know, my Lord."

"We have it too," Adrienne points out.

"Yes but we had no legal patent over it. Xavier has us beat because we can't explain how we happened to have this technology first can we?" the Lord Imperial asks of either sister.

"No, my Lord," Adrienne concedes.

"This changes the situation."

"In what way?"

"Before I described Xavier as an irrelevance..."

Emma, by the way, never considered Charles that but who listens to her these day? No-one apparently.

"However it seems he has made himself relevant again. Not just with his partnership with the local government and police but his alliances with the Smallville Mutant Community and Patricia Swann."

Saying it like that Emma could see Charles had indeed made himself a bigger player than before. Someone, who normally, the Hellfire Club would try and indoctrinate but Charles will never go for that. "Perhaps, my Lord, we need to alter our approach," Emma proposes.

"What approach would that be my Queen?" he queries from her.

"Admittedly we have previously given Charles a bad impression of us."

"You were responsible for that," Adrienne reminds her younger sister and takes great glee in pointing out Emma's blunders.

"Which I have conceded to fully," Emma repeats what she has said before, though it tastes like the bitterest fruit on her tongue. "Now if I may continue?"

"By all means," the Lord Imperial directs.

"Destroying Charles, as we discussed before, would not benefit us any longer. With his alliances it only risks creating powerful enemies railed against us. What we need to do is to convince him that we are genuine in what was only a deception before. That we wish to be friends. That we have the influence to keep his dreams alive. That a partnership would be much more beneficial to him...at least in the short term. Longer term I still think dismantling the X-Men from under him should be our goal along with trying to forge our own alliances with Patricia Swann and the mutant community of Smallville. Once we do that Charles can return to being the irrelevance he should be."

"Still bitter my dear sister?" Adrienne queries about how much Emma seems to want to put Charles down.

"I'm past that. It's merely about what is best for the interests of the Inner Circle," Emma insists. "My Lord," she addresses the Hellfire Club's supreme head once again. "Our club has survived for centuries exactly because we think long term. We move slowly, carefully, methodically. We make alliances that benefit us and discard them when they don't. Immediately I think we need to let Charles do his work because I can bet Magneto will not take this well. We don't want a war right this moment...unless we're the ones prepared to start it."

"Is that it?" Adrienne asks, an annoyed frown marring her features.

Emma doesn't need to read minds to know what her sister means. "I admit Charles' release of this technology isn't what we would have done but do we have influence over the government or don't we? This is still retrievable. We can still bring this back under control to benefit us," she asserts.

"I agree," the Lord Imperial says. "I agree with everything you have said Emma. Keep this up and I may end your probation sooner."

Adrienne snorts quietly in disapproval at that idea.

"Now I will deal with the government end of this. You two deal with Xavier as Emma suggested. Show him we can be partners. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my Lord," both Emma and Adrienne chime in harmony.

"Hellfire burns eternal," the Lord Imperial signs off the call.

"Hellfire burns eternal," Emma and Adrienne return it. The screen goes blank.

"Don't look so smug, Emma," Adrienne tells her off.

"I wasn't aware I had any such look."

"You're still on probation and even when...or if it ends we're still of equal standing. I am a Queen as well."

"Yes, well, sometimes you can't account for the reasoning behind people's decisions."

Adrienne glares at her younger sister. "Always think you're so smart don't you," she says spitefully.

"I don't think. I know."

"I know you altered our father's will to write the rest of us out," Adrienne accuses and believe you her she isn't forgetting or forgiving Emma for it.

Emma denies any knowledge of what her sister is accusing her of. "You weren't written out. Certainly not by me. I didn't know what was in his will and I was merely given his controlling stake in Frost Industries. Father always did say I inherited his business nuance."

As if Adrienne believes that. Still she knows how to cut her sister to the quick. "No. After you went crazy I believe he seriously considered the possibility mother had an affair and you were a bastard."

Emma's head snaps round. "I was not crazy. I'm a telepath."

"Yes, yes. So unfortunate we didn't realise that. By the way what was that mental institution like?"

Emma's face darkens as memories flood in of her incarceration.

Adrienne then really goes for the killer. "Perhaps we should have sent Christian along with you and then he wouldn't be dead," she adds in reference to their deceased brother.

That does it for Emma. "You don't know a damn thing about Christian! None of you ever did! He wasn't sick! He was gay! But none of you understood that. You...all of you...you were the ones who drove him to his death!"

Emma rises to her feet so she can stand over Adrienne. She hates the lot of them for driving Christian to suicide because of their 19th century views on her brother being homosexual. "I hold each and everyone of you responsible...especially father!" she snaps, hate pouring off her her, overriding her normal absolute control over her emotions. That said she turns on her heels and stomps out the room.

After Emma leaves a small satisfied smirk forms on Adrienne's face. Her sister may try to be as hard as the diamond she turns into but Adrienne knows exactly where the soft spot is and she'll continue to prod at it until Emma blows up and destroys herself.

* * *

**Magneto's base...**

Magneto had spent some considerable time in solitude thinking over what must be done. When he reached a conclusion he summoned his children. Yes, Pietro had done well enough lately to be allowed back into the fold.

The slender teen with silver hair folded his arms across his chest. "So what are we doing about this?" he wants to know, having heard everything that idiot Xavier was planning.

Magneto rises off his metal throne and strides across the room to the computer equipment against the far wall. He turns it on and brings up the images of the news conference. "Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link."

Pietro rolls his eyes as he always does when his father slips into metaphors. "Which means what exactly?"

Magneto takes a moment to let the stab of disappointment slip by that Pietro can't see it.

"The Swann lady," Lorna says quietly.

Magneto and Pietro look at her with the exact same expression of surprise showing how indeed they are father and son.

Magneto soon moves on to intrigue. "Explain Lorna," he asks of her.

"The Swann lady," she repeats. "She must know where this technology is being made but she's...she's just a normal human being right? I mean as far I know she is so we get to her and learn what we need to."

A smile starts to form on Magneto's face. "That's very good, Lorna," he congratulates her with extreme pride for figuring that out. Perhaps Lorna is the one who can carry on his work one day if she continues to show intuition and intelligence like this.

"She's right?" Pietro asks, unable to believe that. "We're going to go after this Swann person?"

"We are, yes," Magneto confirms.

"The X-Geeks will try and rescue her you know," Pietro points out.

"No doubt," Magneto accepts and has already made that calculation. "That's why we'll need both the Brotherhood and the Acolytes. Even Charles can't be in two places at once. Plus there will be two locations we must destroy."

"There are?"

"Star Labs was mentioned in the conference but that is a research and development facility not a manufacturing facility."

"There's a factory somewhere else," Lorna makes the obvious simplification.

"Precisely...and our two Lady Masterminds will extract it from Ms Swann's head."

Oh yeah. Them. Pietro can't help but smile at the image of those two. Good god were they hot.

"Dad," Lorna says in a tentative voice.

"Yes, Lorna?"

"Can I come?" she asks, hopefully.

Magneto pauses. "Now Lorna..."

She doesn't let him finish. "Oh please," she pleads. "You said once I got control of my powers I could help on a mission and I'm really good now aren't I?" She locks her hands together in front of her as if praying and pulls off the dreaded puppy-eyes routine. "Please, daddy. I promise I'll be careful. I'll do exactly what you say but let me help, please, please, please, please, please..."

Magneto caves. "Ok. You can come...but you will be at my side the entire time. Is that clear?"

Lorna makes a squeal of joy, runs forward and throws her arms around her father in gratitude. "Thank you dad!"

Magneto pats her on the back. He's pretty certain he's just been played. "Now we must get ready to depart."

Lorna pulls back, her eyes lit up. "Ooh, ooh. That means I can wear my costume doesn't it?"

"Yes."

Lorna gives a fist pump.

"I must make the preparations. Excuse me," Magneto says as he leaves.

After he is gone Pietro remains, eyeing his little sister.

"What?" she asks at his expression.

"You are shameless."

"What?" she repeats, looking completely innocent.

"Don't even try it. I invented that routine you just pulled."

"I have no idea what you mean, Pietro," she dismisses his accusation as if she truly is innocent. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get changed."

Pietro watches her leave, with she holding her head up high. "Shameless," he repeats...but at least it proves without doubt that she is his sister.

* * *

_Author's Note: Oh dear. That can't be good for Patricia. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Magneto wastes no time in making his move._


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

**The Swann Estate, New York...**

The sad fact of the modern world is that if you're rich and famous then you almost certainly need security around your home. Tall walls, cameras, guards of one form or another. One such guard is patrolling round the grounds of the Swann Estate because no matter what level of security you have there's always one nutter or crazy who will try it.

The man is passing the gate this Friday evening when he has to stop at the sight of two gawkers. Oh that's not unusual. When Dr Swann was alive there was always someone hoping to catch some brief glimpse of the reclusive man. What makes him stop is the fact the gawkers tonight take the form of a blond and a brunette young women who could make any man, single, married or whatever, drool all over them.

"Can I help you ladies?" he asks.

"Yes. Oh my god, yes!" the blond exhales very bubbly. "This was Dr Virgil's Swann house, right?"

The guard is a little off-put by the blond's overwhelming enthusiasm. "Uh, yeah."

"I told you it was!" she tells her brunette friend, elbowing her in the side.

The brunette smiles at the blond while all the time sucking on a lollipop, rolling her tongue around it and encasing it in her lips in what, to the guard, seems a blatantly sexual manner.

The brunette spots the look she is getting and smirks. "Hmm," she moans sexily. "I love lollipops don't you? I just love the way you can lick them," which she does, "roll your tongue over them," she rolls her tongue over the top of it, "take them deep into your mouth and suck them _hard, _until you risk them blowing their top off...I mean pulling off their stick."

Ok the guard has to say his pants suddenly feel very tight.

"So is Dr Swann's daughter at home?" the blond asks.

The guard blinks. "Uh, sorry, what?" he stutters.

"Patricia Swann. Is she here? I would so love to meet her!"

"I'm afraid I can't say, Miss."

The blond pouts. "AW! Really?"

"I'm very sorry."

The blond sighs. "C'est la vie I guess," she says, sounding disappointed. "Come on, sis. We should go."

The brunette removes the lollipop from her mouth with an audible pop and smirks when the guard makes a tiny pleasured sounding groan. "Yes. Thank you for your help," she says politely before the two young women walk off.

They disappear into some nearby undergrowth and the illusion of their clothes fade away to reveal the brunette is actually wearing an all in one black leather outfit that only barely covers her chest. The top of her chest and shoulders are bare. She also wears long black leather gloves over her arms along with black boots.

The blond is also in leather but her top doesn't quite meet in the middle leaving a section of her torso exposed running down the centre of her chest, past her stomach all the way to the belt that holds her leather pants up. She too wears long black leather gloves and black boots.

They are the Wyngarde sisters Martinique and Regan and they are regrouping with their team-mates.

"Well?" Magneto inquires.

"It worked," Regan tells him. "With Martinique's distraction he couldn't stop himself thinking it as soon as I asked about her. Patricia Swann is inside."

"Why didn't you just take over her mind and bring her out?" Sandman asks.

"Psychic shielding around the building," Martinique explains that.

"Xavier?" Haze guesses.

"Perhaps...perhaps not," Magneto wavers. "I once met Virgil Swann, a long time ago. He knew of mutants. This could have been his own doing. He was an incredibly intelligent man."

"You sound like you admired him," a certain magnetic girl comments. Lorna, or more aptly Polaris, was now dressed in her own costume. It basically was a more sublime, feminine version of her father's armour only in green with a green cape to go with it and framing her face a green headpiece.

"I did admire him," Magneto confesses. "One of the very few humans who ever earned my respect...which is why I don't want Ms Swann harmed. Is that clear?" he states his intentions.

Everyone knows _that _tone and know just to nod their heads and agree.

Magneto moves to the task at hand. "4 teams, approaching the house from each direction, giving Ms Swann no possibility of escape. We sweep in from the outside, corralling her to the centre until she is surrounded and has nowhere else to run."

"You think she'll run?" Pietro asks.

"They always run."

"But they never get away," Frenzy says with a cruel smile.

"Quite," Magneto says. "Make sure she doesn't," he restates it before he personally picks the 4 teams, a mixture of Acolytes and Brotherhood on each, and they move out to surround the house.

* * *

Patricia Swann sits behind a desk in what is her office at home working late into the night. She has no regrets that her choices will mean more late nights like this, working. For her father she swore to do all in her power to aid the Traveller and he asked her to aid the world and so here she is.

The little press conference the other day has put her very much in the public eye. Again she has no regrets.

Patricia checks the time. Maybe it's time to turn in. She can only hope that wherever her father is now he's proud of her.

Patricia rises up from her desk and heads for the door. She pulls it open and the moment she does so she is knocked off her feet by an explosion from behind.

Patricia lays on the floor, her head ringing. She shakes her head to clear the cobwebs and looks at where the blast came from. What she spots is a hole in the wall and entering through it Magneto and a small group of, what she is going to assume, are his mutant followers.

"Ms Swann," Magneto addresses her in his cold tones. "I'm afraid I have ask you to come with me. Please don't run and make this any harder than it need be."

At that Patricia scrambles to her feet and bolts for it.

A certain Cajun in a brown trench coat can't help but make a wry remark. "Gambit can't help but notice d'at when you say d'at d'ey always runs."

Magneto fixes Gambit a look that would make most people tremble.

Gambit flashes one of his easy going smiles. "Women, huh?"

Magneto actually rolls his eyes underneath his helmet.

Patricia runs, pulling her phone out her back pocket and dialling. "Come on. Pick up," she begs it to be answered. She runs only to run into another group of mutants. She dives down the hallway to her left and keeps running.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

Charles is just about to turn in for bed when his private line rings. He frowns a little wondering who this could be.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Professor!" a breathless sounding voice cries.

"Who is this?"

"It's Patricia!..._get her!_...need help!..._there she is!_...Magneto!..."

That is where the line cuts out through that garble of different voices but Charles had heard enough to guess what was going on.

The next few steps are simple. Get Hank, trace the call, send help.

Down in the computer room it doesn't take Hank long to narrow down which mobile receiver area the call came from and Charles instantly knew what was there. "She's at her New York home."

"Isn't this the evening Clark and Claire tend to spend there with Spider-Man," Hank recalls.

"Yes. It is," Charles confirms that to be true and Clark can therefore get there in mere moments. He always carries a communicator on him in case of emergency.

* * *

**New York...**

3 young heroes patrol the streets of the city that never sleeps. One flies through the air, a trail of burning fire behind her as she goes. One swings through the air on lines of superstrong webbing. Another leaps from rooftop to rooftop, moving at superhuman speed.

"You know I'm really kinda disappointed," Volcana says.

"Well so I would be if I had to look at that face every morning in the mirror," Spider-Man quips lightly, meaning no insult.

Superman snickers.

Volcana growls, her fire flaring up around her. "Dickhead," she mutters. "No. I'm disappointed in you."

"Me?" Spider-Man queries. "How can you possibly...what have I done...oh god I'm choking up," she says in mock upset at her comment.

Volcana rolls her eyes. "You keep going on and on about these supervillains of yours. How dangerous they are and I haven't met one. Not even this great big scary Green Goblin fella. I'm starting to think you're making these guys up."

"Well to be fair a lot of them are currently in jail," Superman defends his friend.

"That's right. I've already kicked many a supervillain's butt," Spider-Man says proudly. "As for Gobby...I don't know. Maybe I offended him or something during our last throw-down and he's away sulking about it."

"You? Offend someone? Never," Superman mock proclaims.

"Yeah. You're right," Spider-Man says in agreement. "I mean I'm always so charming and funny and..."

"Really need to stop listening to Shadowcat," Volcana tells him at where she knows this comes from. Kitty says those exact words while smiling dreamily. "After all she's so into you I think she thinks sunshine comes out your butt."

"You have such a lovely way with words," Spider-Man drawls sarcastically. "And wait how into me is Kitty precisely?" he asks, his mind suddenly catching up with what was said.

"How about you ask her yourself," Superman suggests. "After all communication is the basis of a strong relationship."

Volcana snorts. "You, of all people, are giving relationship advice?" she asks, disbelieving. "You who can't even bring yourself to take the plunge with Andrea no matter how hot you two are to get into each other's pants."

"Oh Rao," Clark grumbles. "Look she only wants to be friends so friends are all we are."

"Sure you are," Volcana says sarcastically. "If all else fails I'm sure Betsy will 'comfort' you."

"Wait? What?!" Clark says, not having a clue what his sister is on about.

Before Claire can answer the Professor's voice breaks in over the communicator Clark keeps. "Superman. This is Professor Xavier. Come in, please."

"Guys wait a sec," Superman says stopping the other two, as he pulls the communicator out his pocket and answers. "Superman, here. Go ahead Professor."

"Superman I received an urgent phone call from Patricia Swann. It wasn't clear what was happening but she was obviously in trouble and she managed to mention Magneto's name before I lost her."

Magneto. Clark tensed instantly. "Where?" he asks the simple question.

"We traced her phone to the Swann Estate."

Clark looks at his two friends, who by now are standing on the same rooftop he is, and nod that they're in. "Spider-Man, Volcana and I are on our way, Professor," he assures the elder man.

"Be careful," the Professor implores him. "I'll have the X-Men join you as soon as I can."

"Roger that. Superman, out." Clark looks at the other two. "Time is of the essence."

"Which means?" Volcana asks.

"Oh no," Spider-Man grouses. He knows what this means.

Clark smirks and the next thing Claire knows is the world blurring around her. When she regains her senses all 3 of them are standing on the well manicured lawn of a mansion. "Fucking hell," she complains as she tries to regain her senses. "Don't you do that ever again!" she demands.

"What if your life depended on it?" Clark asks her.

"Well ok, maybe except for that," Claire concedes.

"What do you see?" Spider-Man asks, getting straight down to business.

Clark's eyes flash electric blue. "We're too late. They're gone," he informs his two friends that there is no trace with his eyes. "I can see some guards lying around. We should check on them," he suggests.

The 3 heroes check on the guards, who are only knocked out, which is a lot gentler than Magneto can be. Spider-Man makes his customary jokes before the 3 heroes make an assessment round the building. Magneto was not subtle. They smashed their way in from every direction.

Clark resumed trying to track Magneto down by their scents. He bends down and touches the lawn.

"What?" Volcana asks.

"He's trying to become one with the universe, kemosabe," Spider-Man jokes.

Clark smiles slightly. "Not really. See the slight dip," he asks them. "Several of them. Perfectly spherical."

"Transport spheres," Claire guesses.

"Yeah. We're not tracking Magneto on the ground," Superman accepts.

The roar of an aircraft overhead draws their attention upward as the x-jet lands on the lawn. The ramp drop and the X-Men disembark. Storm, Wolverine, Domino, Beast, Cyclops, Jean, Rogue, Spyke, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat and the two newer members. Banshee because Sean was not missing out the chance to meet his dear old friend Magnus and the person who always makes Claire smile; Tarot.

Being an X-Man meant that Tarot had been able to design her own costume. She was wearing what was like an ankle length coat that was fastened to the waist and the bottom of it was able to flow freely like a skirt. She had chosen a colour and design off the back of her Tarot cards. It was royal purple with swirling golden patterns covering it. She wore green-blue pants, more green with a dash of blue to compliment and soften the purple. The boots were back to being purple with a golden streak running up them. Marie thought about a sort of gypsy look at first for her costume since you know reading fortunes, gypsy but wanted more regal than campy in the end. She echoed the gypsy idea slightly by wearing a yellow waist sash.

The Professor was back at the mansion monitoring through Cerebro.

"Ooh, ooh!" Spider-Man jumps up and down. "It's the super-intelligent, beautiful Shadowcat!" he praises his girlfriend.

Kitty smiles. "And if it isn't New York's number one hero, Spider-Man, who I assume is devilishly handsome under that mask because I certainly do not know who he is and what he looks like under there."

"Gawd someone pass meh tha sickbag," Rogue mutters.

"Right there with you," Spyke says in agreement.

"Come on guys. It's sweet," Nightcrawler says.

"Says tha guy who spends 24/7 singing tha praises of his girlfriend," Rogue critiques her brother.

"Guys. Focus," Cyclops demands. "What have you got Superman?"

"They're gone. Transport spheres," he explains, pointing at the dips in the lawn.

"Any sign of Ms Swann?"

"I couldn't see her."

"Jean?" Cyclops queries.

Jean reaches out with her mind. She shakes her head. "Just the guards. Magneto's either shielding his followers or they're out of range."

"It's not just that Patricia is missing that worries me," Superman says. "Wolverine, do you smell what I smell?"

Logan bends down till his nose is literally sniffing the top of the grass blades. "Depends what you're referring to."

"Unless I'm very much mistaken is that both the Acolytes and the Brotherhood?"

"Yeah. It is," Logan says as he stands up straight...or at least the ones he knows. There are a few he doesn't. New recruits would be his assumption.

"Isn't zhat like overkill?" Nightcrawler asks.

"Completely," Superman agrees.

Cyclops picks something up in Clark's tone. "What are you thinking?"

"If Magneto wanted to do this in such a way that we wouldn't know for hours he could have had Haze teleport into Patricia's bedroom while she was asleep. He didn't."

"He wanted us to know. He wanted us to be here," Storm makes the only possible logical deduction.

"And you don't need the entire Acolytes and Brotherhood to abduct one human woman."

"This wasn't the end. This was only the beginning of something," Spider-Man deduces, his voice more serious than it usually is as he could see the gravity of this situation.

"We should search th' mansion," Banshee suggests. "If Magneto wanted us here he might have left something behind fer us t' find."

Scott found that a wise suggestion so the X-Men plus spread out to search the building.

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

When Patricia awoke she couldn't see where she was due to the blinding light being shone in her face. "Hnn," she groans. The last thing she remembers is...someone hitting her. Now she's tied up to a chair she assess.

"I apologise for your discomfort," a voice, whose source Patricia can't see, says but she recognises it.

"Magneto?"

"Yes," he confirms for her.

"What do you want?"

"The location of the facility where you are manufacturing your tools of mutant oppression."

"I object to that description," Patricia says with more bravery than she feels.

"That is your prerogative. I do not expect less from a human although I do expect better from the daughter of Virgil Swann."

Anger rises up inside Patricia at the mention of her father. As if he had a clue what her father was really like. "I accept they're tools. Tools to ensure equality under the law."

"Human law," Magneto dismisses that with disgust.

"All societies require laws. Even the mutant society you seek to create will have to have laws," Patricia argues.

"Indeed," Magneto concedes. "But they will be created by us, to serve us. Not by humans who would write laws to oppress us."

"Created by the people, for the people...or created by you, to serve you," Patricia accuses.

Magneto finds this...stimulating as matter of fact. "You assume, Ms Swann, that the humans would grant mutants any sort of rights at all. In truth they wish nothing but the slightest excuse to strip all rights away and treat us like a plague they wish to see purged from their...so called society...and what a society it is. A society of corruption and greed where a few benefit at the expense of the many."

"Didn't know you were one of the 99%," she remarks at the slogan protesters use about how 1% of the population controls the vast bulk of wealth and power.

"I sympathise with them as much as that may surprise you. They seek to rebalance the world. To see a more equitable share for all. Noble goals. Unfortunately they are doomed to fail. They cannot see what I see. That the human system is so rotten it must be burned away and something new, something better, built on the ruins."

"You cannot build a world on ground stained by the blood of the innocent," Patricia passionately argues against Magneto's idea of a war.

"Humans do," Magneto replies simply, his voice dark and deep.

Patricia shakes her head. This is pointless. He is so convinced that the world is beyond redemption that it's not worth saving.

"Your father would have understood."

"My father worked to bring the world together. Not see it split asunder. He would have fought you no matter the fact he couldn't move, he would still have found the strength to stand against your poisonous views."

"Poisonous?" Magneto questions that. "The only poison on this world is humanity."

"Why am I here?" Patricia asks, refusing to continue this pointless debate with someone who won't listen to anything she says, no matter how good or convincing her arguments might be. This may be the very first time she has ever met someone she couldn't sway round. So, that's what it feels like. She continues, making the very valid point, "You didn't need to bring me here."

"No. I did. You are a vital part of my plan," Magneto informs her.

Ok that can't be good. "Don't suppose you care to fill me in?"

"In time," Magneto replies and Patricia swears she can hear the smile in his voice.

Definitely not good.

The light in her face is turned off. Patricia blinks while her eyes adjust. It doesn't help discern her location. A dimly lit bare room. She could be anywhere. She sees Magneto and two young women.

"Now the location of your manufacturing facility?" Magneto returns to it.

"I can't," Patricia refuses.

Magneto sighs in disappointment. "Ladies," he addresses the two women. "Please discern the location."

"As you wish," the two Lady Masterminds echo in sync as they stare intensely at the young woman tied to the chair.

Patricia's face screws up in pain and effort.

"She's resisting," Regan remarks in awe at the sheer absurdity of the notion.

"Someone has taught her the tricks," Martinique adds. "To not think about what we're seeking. She's singing songs in her head."

"Doing sums...you forgot to carry the one," Regan tells Patricia about her mistake.

"Push harder," Magneto orders.

Patricia has to resist. They can't know what she knows about the Traveller.

"Where is the factory?" Magneto repeats his question. "I know where Star Labs is. Just tell us where the factory is and this will be over."

"I-I can't," Patricia refuses, her voice strained, sweat trickling down her forehead.

"Yes, you can. All I want to know is the factory's location. I promise you no harm beyond that."

"Underground," Regan says. "It's underground," she clarifies as Patricia's resistance begins to crumble.

"Where?"

"Somewhere remote so there is no risk of harming the poor innocent humans," Martinique mocks the idea as she gleams a little more from Patricia's mind.

"Where?" Magneto repeats.

"It's here in the States," Regan reports as she and her sister reveal the information layer by layer.

"The Appalachian Mountains...in Virginia. Oh, clever. You hid it in what people think is an old coal mine," Martinique comments.

"We have it's exact location," Regan informs Magneto.

"Good. Now let her sleep," he tells them.

The two sisters put Patricia to sleep.

"So what now?" Martinique wonders.

"We do as planned. We destroy this technology and send out a message at the same time."

"I think my sister meant what do we do with the woman," Regan clarifies.

"We persuade her to aid out cause. Her resources would be most beneficial."

"You want us to condition her?" Martinique seeks clarification.

"No. I promised her no harm."

"Then why would she aid our cause?" Regan asks.

"Simple. Because she will be one of us."

"Oh!" Martinique and Regan echo together. "You're going to..."

"Yes," Magneto confirms. "I'm not going to harm her. I'm going to make her better, elevate her. I'm going to turn her into a mutant."

* * *

**Swann Estate, New York...**

"I think it's a clue," Spider-Man remarks. "I'm not certain but my finely tuned sense of deduction tells me this is a clue."

Kitty giggles.

Logan grumbles.

Cyclops picks it up. It's a plain DVD case with a note saying 'Play me' stuck on it. It had been left sitting neatly on top of the desk in what they all assume is a home office. "We should take this back to the Institute. Analyse it there under controlled conditions," he decides, not wishing to take any chances. "Unless there is a reason to stay here any longer?" he asks for any objection.

No-one does as nothing else is to be found.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The X-Men plus Spider-Man and Superman are gathered in the War Room. Peter wasn't going to stand-by while an innocent woman was in danger so he came along. Clark felt this was personal. Patricia had so wished to aid him as the Traveller that she did this for him and it has put her in real danger.

Hank and Kitty had checked the disk from Magneto for...well anything and everything they could think of. It could have been a trap for all they knew. They hadn't found anything that would seem to pose any harm. They slip the disk into a player and the holographic table comes into play as it projects the image of the head of Magneto.

"Hello Charles," the recording begins with.

Charles folds his hands across his lap, waiting for whatever it is his old friend has to say.

"I have to say, Charles, that I am disappointed."

"Gee he's full of himself ain't he," Domino mutters at the supreme arrogant condescension in Magneto's tone.

"Giving this technology away to humans. I know there must be those amongst your students who agree. Regardless you had to know I could not let this stand. If you are watching this then you know I have Patricia Swann. The reasons should be obvious. To extract the location of where this technology is being manufactured so I can destroy it...and Star Labs as well. Come and try and stop me if you wish but I will defend mutantkind against those that ally themselves with the human oppressors. If you realise you have made a mistake and I hope you do, Charles, then don't get in my way. Allow me to do what is necessary."

The message ends.

Charles sighs. Why must Magneto's reactions be so violent every time.

"You know I still wonder where it is he hides and what he gets up t'," Banshee comments about his old teammate.

"It is a question we all ponder, Sean," Hank says. What was Magneto doing that kept him so off the radar.

"Why is he telling us what he is doing?" Spyke asks. Seemed stupid to him.

"He said it himself in his message," Domino replies. "He's the defender of mutantkind and he's going to show that and show us as the defenders of the human oppressors. That's why he wants us there."

Charles rubs his head.

"So if we go we like damage ourselves in the eyes of other mutants?" Kitty seeks clarity.

"Then we'll just have to," Clark says. "He has Patricia. Are we going to stand by and allow her to be harmed? We need to get her back even if that means fighting them. Another reason he took her no doubt."

"We don't do this for a popularity contest," Logan lays it out bluntly.

"Logan is correct," Ororo agrees with her boyfriend. "We all knew when we agreed to follow the principles the X-Men were founded on there would be times we would take actions that would offend other mutants who follow Magneto's way of thinking. The path we shall walk will never be an easy one."

"I need to go use Cerebro. See if I can trace any of the Acolytes or the Brotherhood," Charles says.

"You haven't so far?" Jean asks.

"No...but Magneto wants us to find him. Therefore his hiding from me is likely only temporary. No doubt he calculated how long we would take before we viewed that message and so more likely than not will show up now or at least soon."

* * *

The Professor was correct as it turned out. He easily picked up the signatures this time. He returns to the War Room and shows the X-Men what he found with a relay from Cerebro's data.

He points at a collection of signatures. "This is the Brotherhood."

"They're just outside Metropolis," Clark says in worry.

"This collection moving back East is the Acolytes and certainly Magneto as well," Charles points at the other group.

"Why East?" Scott asks.

"The Appalachian mountains is where Swann Communications Factory is. It's buried in an old coal mine. Magneto is heading in a straight line for it."

"We can't be in two places at once," Domino points out.

"I know."

"Sam's team," Cyclops guesses what comes next.

"We did create a reserve team for a reason," Charles points out.

"They have little experience of anything like this, Chuck," Logan warns.

"That's why I want you to join them," Charles decides.

"What?!"

"Two reasons," Charles says calmly. "One; Magneto is not your best opponent and two; I picked up Sabretooth with the Brotherhood."

"Creed!" Logan snarls with extreme hostility. "I'll go," he agrees if only to cut Creed to pieces.

"Had a feeling you would," Charles remarks lightly. He is also glad. Sabretooth is extremely dangerous and Sam's team haven't had that kind of real-life test yet. "They have also been reinforced as have the Acolytes. Magneto is not playing around," Charles informs them all. "There is also one other issue. I'm reading a telepath on both teams, ones I am not familiar with. Sam's team will need a telepath."

"Betsy?" Jean queries, tentatively at the only other telepath available.

"No way. English is not ready," Logan says, using a very obvious nickname for her.

"She's ready enough for this," Charles determines. "And it isn't like we have huge choice here."

"I should go ahead to Metropolis now," Clark proposes. "Slow the Brotherhood down. Otherwise they'll reach Star Labs first."

"I don't want you to face them alone, Clark," Charles worries for him. Despite how powerful Clark is he is not indestructible.

"I'll call Nightwing," he proposes.

"And perhaps you could take our little spy too."

"Spy?" Clark queries with a frown. He reaches out with his senses and rolls his eyes. "Bart!" he yells.

The blond-haired young teen sticks his head in through the door from behind which he was listening in. "Hey guys! So what's happening?"

"As if you didn't know," Logan accuses with a growl. That kid was nothing but a hyperactive and colossal pain in Logan's ass.

Charles would not normally send someone untrained like Bart but time is extremely limited. "Since Bart can move as fast..."

Bart cuts the Professor off. "Ahem, faster," he corrects. "I'm the Fastest Man on Earth," he boasts.

Rogue rolls her eyes. "If ah had a dime for every tahme ah've heard that," she mutters.

"As you say," Charles humours Bart. "You are both very fast and can get there together...on the condition Bart you are careful. You are to slow the Brotherhood down until the reinforcements arrive only. Is that clear? Because if it's not you can stay right here."

"It's clear, Prof. I promise," Bart says, really wishing to help after overhearing what was going on. "Cross my heart and hope to get lucky," he says, crossing his heart several times at superspeed.

"Then go," the Professor permits.

"Don't take too long, Amigos," Bart says cheekily before he and Clark vanish in a gust of wind, plus a small detour for Bart to pick up his hoodie.

"I make no promises that kid will be still be alive by the time this is done," Logan says grumpily as he marches out to go round up Hayseed and co.

Sam is surprised that he and his team is needed but he quickly snaps out of it. This is their first really important mission and he can't screw it up. He won't.

As quickly as possible Sam and his team are in the x-jet heading for Metropolis leaving the non-magnetic Velocity helicopter for the X-Men.

From the pilot's seat Logan asks Sam, "By the way did you ever come up with a team name?"

"Yeah we did," Sam confirms.

"And?" Logan inquiries for it.

"Call us Generation X!"

* * *

_Author's Note: I wanted a regal-esque look for Tarot and I hope what I came up with would work. Her past costumes weren't much inspiration since before she died she was a Hellion...and sheesh you would think Emma of all people could design something more stylish than those hideous things. After Tarot came back from the dead her powers evolved and she literally assumed the persona of her cards, ie she would become Death in the cloak and wield the scythe. That's kind of a cool possibility for her future but wasn't much help in giving me ideas for her costume. As for the Wyngarde sisters I just went with the look they've basically been going with forever and Polaris' costume reflects the fact she's daddy's little girl hence basically it is just a copy of the armour in green. G__eneration X won the poll so that's the name. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark and Bart try to slow the Brotherhood down while the X-Men try to reach the Appalachian's facility before Magneto and the Acolytes do._


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Betsy sits on the x-jet, dressed in the standard New Mutant uniform, contemplating deeply whether she is ready for this. Uncle Charley tried to assure her he thought she was before they left. He told her she wasn't here to combat this other telepath because she probably isn't ready for a full scale psychic battle but merely to block the other telepath, protect the others from psychic attack. Betsy can probably do that.

"Relax girl. You'll do great," the reassurance comes from Tabitha 'Boom Boom' Smith who could see that Betsy was unsure.

Betsy turns her head in Tabby's direction. A Tabby dressed in a new costume. The 4th design she put up because the other 3 were rejected for being too 'provocative', whatever that means. Tabby thought they were both sexy and functional but still they got rejected.

In the end she came up with a sleeveless padded-like yellow vest that left her stomach exposed. With it were tight blue pants. Her lower legs were covered with what were like yellow shin-guards and on her feet were black boots. Blue gloves and elbow pads completed the ensemble. On the upper left-hand side of her top was a small circular patch with a black X on a red background to signify who she belongs with. Around her left thigh was a belt attached to which were all the little pouches to carry the other stuff they need.

Betsy lets put a shaky breath and tries to smile and hide her nerves. "Thanks. I can only try my best, right?"

"Absolutely!" Tabby agrees enthusiastically. "And lets face it your worst is a lot better than most people's bests so even if you are slightly off you'll still kick butt."

Betsy smiles a little wider. She had always liked Tabby from the moment she got to know the girl. So full of wild, fizzy energy yet she wasn't utterly irresponsible either. She seemed to have found a nice balance.

Tabby was stoked that they were going on their first proper mission and more than that this was the first time they could all go out with their new costumes. Her Sammy was in the one she helped him design...and then he ignored most of her advice and did his own thing. Ugh, really why is she dating him again?

Basically all he has done taken the New Mutant uniform, replaced the yellow boots with black, thrown on top of it an aviator's jacket with black Xs on red patches on the shoulder straps and had added a pair of aviator-esque goggles. Sam's defence of them that they help him see when he's flying.

Bobby's costume was blue and white. Blue across the shoulders and upper part of the chest and then running down the centre of his costume and the inner half of the legs. The arms and the outer sections of the costume were white. There were also blue gloves and boots. He wore a red belt with a blue X buckle and of course all those little pouches they have were attached to it. On the upper left part of his chest was a circular patch with a blue X on red background as well.

Roberto's costume consisted of a pair of black leather pants and a ribbed grey under-shirt worn with yellow X belt(with the standard pouches), a black and yellow leather jacket, black on the arms and collar, yellow everywhere else with a red X within a circle on each arm. There were also knee-high black boots with yellow X's across the shins.

Ray's costume was all black except for the image of a multi-arced lightning bolt over his chest in red, almost as if he had transplanted a photo of lightning strike onto it in red. He had kept the black X's on red patches for the shoulders and wore a red belt.

Theresa had basically copied her father's costume showing how close the two of them were. It was green and yellow with the yellow a stripe that went down the centre from neck, including a high collar, to the top of her yellow boots. Everywhere else was green. She had the same glider-wings as her father in yellow and black attached from her wrists to her waist. She wore a pair of yellow gloves with a yellow belt. Theresa was looking forward to this since it would be Siryn's real début as a member of the Xavier Institute.

Claire was in her normal costume as Volcana and despite her moonlighting as a hero with her brother was still part of this team and so here she was.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Tabby pipes up with the question for their pilot.

Logan growls. "Yes Time Bomb. We simply hone in on Space Boy's communicator signal."

"I was just asking," Tabby says, a little annoyed at the attitude. "Seriously, Badger, relax!"

"Not freakin likely with you around," Logan grumbles quietly.

"Can we please just get there before my brother gets fucking squished?" Claire asks irritably.

"I'm sure Clark is fine," Sam says, trying to be the reassuring one. "He's smart enough to know how to slow them down without a direct confrontation."

"Yeah but what about Bart?" Ray asks.

"Yeah. Does this thing have a higher gear?" Bobby wonders.

"How about I higher gear my foot up your ass," Logan grumbles. He's going as fast as he can.

* * *

**Outskirts of Metropolis...**

The Brotherhood of Mutants. Avalanche, Blob, Toad, Quicksilver, Puzzler, Plastique, Neutron, Haze, the Lady Mastermind that is Regan Wyngarde and a couple of newer members to bolster the numbers and diversify the power set, Burner and Unuscione.

Unuscione wore a red bodysuit, black around the neck that had extra padding on the shoulders in greyish-silver and the sleeves were greyish-silver too. She wore black pants and boots.

Burner preferred a simple blue bodysuit with a long brown trench coat on top of that.

And put in charge of this lot, Sabretooth. Mostly to register a major threat on the X-Men's little mutant detection system. To make sure they are pulled in different directions, pulled thin.

"Ok I have a couple of questions, yo," Toad raises. "Why did the Big Boss Man drop us off outside town and why doesn't Haze just teleport us in?"

"Magneto explained that," Haze replies, irritated sounding. She's irritated because she's with these losers instead of her boyfriend, Gambit. Apparently that Amelia lady makes Alicia like the understudy...which you know just isn't fair. Who was there when they were setting up the X-Men to fight the Sentinels? That's right. Her!

"You better explain it again," Avalanche says with a little weariness. Even he can't believe Toad can't remember.

"We're suppose to be a clear, sitting target that the X-Men can't miss. We want them to see us and force them to divide their numbers. Once they get here I take Avalanche to Star Labs so he can level the building while the rest of you keep the X-Men busy," Haze explains the plan.

"It's actually really brilliantly simple," Regan gives it praise. "Plus we have to make sure to clearly give a statement about how we're defending mutantkind while the X-Men are defending our human oppressors. PR is everything these days."

"That's why I'm tweeting!" Puzzler declares excitedly as she tweets using her phone.

"You have a twitter account?" Pietro asks. Why doesn't he have one of those?

"No. We, as in the Brotherhood of Mutants, do and although I love Uncle Erik that's kinda sexist calling it a Brotherhood," she complains.

"Perhaps you would prefer Fellowship of Mutants instead?" Neutron asks with a condescending roll of his eyes. He really wishes the X-Men would just get here so he could get on to beating them up.

"Well it is catchy," Puzzler points out in support of that name...and ok she may be a bit geeky at her core.

"We're here to fight a war against humans, not trivialise over a name," Unuscione complains that they are demeaning the very serious business of fighting for mutants' rightful place in the world.

"As Uncle Erik said, our war is fought on many fronts. We must also win over the hearts and minds of our fellow mutants."

"Whoa, major ass kisser alert, you know what I mean, yo," Toad whispers to Blob. Fred nods in agreement.

"How about you all shut up!" Sabretooth snaps at them.

That manages to illicit a silence.

That is when it starts. A breeze that increases into a strong wind that increases into a gale force almost enough to blow some of the mutants over.

Unuscione manages to expand her protective forcefield into a bubble against the wind. They all watch from within as a layer of ice starts to form over its surface until it covers it completely. Unuscione feels the pressure fade and assumes the attack is over and drops her field.

"Blob, punch it," Sabretooth orders.

Blob marches up to the icy dome and with one gigantic punch shatters it.

Sabretooth then sniffs the air and growls. "Superman!" he spits out in fury at recognising the scent.

There is a gust of wind and the next thing anyone knows is Superman, standing next to Sabretooth, his arm across the feral mutant's shoulder.

"I heard my name!" Superman cheers with a dorky grin. "Aw, Sabretooth, you missed me didn't you?" he teases and then his hand gives a bone crushing squeeze to Sabretooth's shoulder...a literally bone crushing squeeze. The rest of the Brotherhood can hear the crunching sound.

Normally Clark wouldn't but on Sabretooth you have to do something quite extreme to disable him a little for even a short period of time.

Sabretooth cries out in pain as his bones shatter under the pressure. Then before he can react he finds himself bouncing along the ground at a sharp pace.

Superman stands there, his hand still in the just flicked Sabretooth in the head position. "Oops," he says sheepishly. "Sometimes I just don't know my own strength."

He turns to the gathered crowd who still haven't reacted so in surprise are they to see him. He claps his hands together hard, making the air snap and creating a small shockwave, almost knocking a few of the Brotherhood over. "Well, well, well, if it isn't me old chums; the Brotherhood of Mutants. How ya doing?"

"We'll be fine once we deal with you traitorous scum," Unuscione proclaims, her voice full of hate.

Superman raises a finger. "One sec. According to the dictionary I memorised one day when I was bored the definition of a traitor is..." he clears his throat and talks in a very official sounding manner, "One who betrays one's country, a cause, or a trust." His tone returns to normal. "Now last I checked I don't belong to any nation that Magneto runs, I never signed up to his cause and I certainly never shared any sort of trust with him so I'm afraid your words just don't stack up, Miss."

Unuscione almost literally explodes right there and then.

Regan places her hands on her hips and gives Superman the once over. '_Hmm, hmm,' _she moans approvingly in her head. He looks better in person. Oh she could just eat him up...but damn. Her father was right. His mind is totally weird and she can't affect it.

"You must be utterly stupid to come here alone, Super-Dork," Pietro insults him.

"Pietro...that' so hurtful," Superman says, choking up. "I mean I just came to say hello and you insult me. I won't cry, I won't," he insists while pretending to hold back tears. The act vanishes "And also whoever said I came here alone? And also it certainly wouldn't be a fair fight. Not after I've been cunningly distracting you while my colleague has been tying your shoelaces together."

Pietro takes a step forward. "That's not poss-whoa!" he cries out as he trips up and falls over face first. When he looks he finds his laces are tied together. In fact each and every member of the Brotherhood's laces are tied together.

They start to frantically try to untie the fiendish knots while wondering how this could have possibly happened.

There is a gust of wind and a kid in a red hoodie appears next to Superman. "I can't believe that actually worked," the kid remarks in complete shock.

"It's the costume," Superman replies. "It just gets their attention every time."

The kid blurs to stand over Quicksilver. "Are you sure this is the one you told me about? Who moves like us? He seems kinda slow to me. He didn't even see me."

"And who are you?" Pietro demands to know.

"Me?" the kid points at himself. "I'm the Fastest Man Alive, Muchachos!"

Pietro almost starts. "Just you wait until I get these laces untied then we'll see who is the fastest."

"Great!" the hooded kid cheers. "I love a good race."

"Do you love a good beating? Because you're getting one!" Blob declares.

Superman shares a look at the hooded kid before they burst into loud laughter, holding their stomachs.

"Oh man that's good," the hooded kid says as he seemingly wipes a tear away.

"What's funny?" Avalanche asks.

Superman points at the group. "You?" he queries before pointing at himself and his friend. "Beat us up? Puh-lease. You couldn't even catch us. Let alone do anything to us."

"Yeah. I mean seriously. I can be a thousand miles away before you can blink."

"And even if you could catch us, I think you guys have been out of the loop way too long. You've dropped down the rankings of the list of things I have to deal with. My average Tuesday is tougher."

"From the looks of these guys my average steak dinner is tougher," the hooded kid says even more disparagingly.

"Now maybe if you were the Acolytes we might worry," Superman tells them.

"Slightly," the hooded kid modifies. "Very slightly."

Pietro finally manages to sort out the knot in his shoes. He stands up, his teeth gritted and his face filled with anger. "Guys, who's up for teaching these two some respect?"

"Count me in," Blob says, punching one hand into the other.

"Yeah," Neutron says in agreement.

"Traitors need to be taught the price of betrayal," Unuscione vows.

There are several other murmurs of agreement from the rest as they all manage to sort out their laces.

Superman's lips curve up into a lazy grin. "Then come get us."

He and the hooded kid blur a short distance away and wave. "Come on! We promise to take it easy on ya!"

The Brotherhood chase after them...in the exact direction Clark and Bart were wanting. Away from Metropolis.

* * *

**Appalachian Mountains, Virginia...**

From the outside it didn't look much. It looked like an old abandoned coal mine. A dozen metallic spheres land at the entrance. They split apart and slide open and out from them step Magneto and his Acolytes. Polaris, Frenzy, Gambit, Ruckus, Sandman, Colossus, Pyro, the Lady Mastermind that is Martinique Wyngarde.

Of course Amelia was there, against her better judgement she might add. Her costume was black with red stripes in a V-shape running up the front to the shoulders where they merged into golden shoulder pads. There were also golden wrists guards and knee-high red boots along with a golden belt with pouches...which for Amelia she filled with miniature medical stuff. In her heart she was primarily a nurse.

Joining the Acolytes was, first up, the blond EM field manipulator known as Phantazia, dressed all in purple and yellow(her favourite colours). It is a purple top and pants with a yellow section down the middle. Joining Phantazia as a new member was the metal clawed hands and feet of Shocker dressed in a purple top and dark blue pants.

They were replacements for Live Wire. Shocker could produce electrical blasts but didn't have the ability to manipulate electricity as Live Wire could. Phantazia could and Magneto was certain it was merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of her power. That, as she aged, she could do and be much, much more.

As much as Magneto remained angered at Live Wire's betrayal he could not deny her power but as he is showing she can also be replaced.

"Martinique?" Magneto queries.

The brunette telepath closes her eyes as her mind stretches out trying to sense whoever was here and learn what she needed to. She can sense the men who guard the entrance. Quite effectively too...if it were humans they were trying to stop. There are also many technicians working overtime to prepare the place for its task. She reports this to Magneto.

"It will never complete that task," he states with complete confidence that this is so.

"Company!" Gambit reports.

All eyes turn to the skies and to what Gambit has spotted. A helicopter.

"Charles," Magneto says, recognising that particular model of aircraft. "Excellent," he says as if all this is exactly as he planned. "Everyone inside the facility, quickly," he orders.

"Won't we be trapped?" Polaris asks with concern since they will be going underground.

"Yes," Magneto says simply.

Lorna looks at him, wondering what it is her father is planning. He can't mean for them to really be trapped, right? No. Definitely not. He must have something up his sleeve. Something he hasn't told even her about.

* * *

Aboard the Velocity the X-Men manage to get just a glimpse of the Acolytes before they vanish into the mine entrance.

"Is that good or bad?" Kitty asks.

"Bad. Very bad," Scott replies grimly. They had been hoping, slight as the possibility was, that they could beat Magneto here and prevent him getting down into the facility. They had failed and that meant the battle would now be all the more difficult. "It's a tight, confined, underground space with who knows how many innocent civilians caught in the crossfire plus any battle will severely damage the facility."

"Which is probably on purpose," Storm assesses.

"But we have ta go in anyway, don't we," Rogue assumes.

"Afraid so," Dom says. "Ah a secret underground facility. Now that's taking me back," she jokes grimly about her past experiences.

Charles grimaces. Erik was going to make this difficult and dangerous but there was no choice. He has to confront his old friend if only to try and get some clue as to where Patricia is. As far as Charles can tell she's not here and Magneto had made sure otherwise not to leave any clues behind. He needs answers only Magneto can provide.

The Velocity lands and the X-Men disembark in a well practised formation.

Spider-Man takes in the surroundings. "Very...coal miney," he remarks jokily.

Kitty sniggers. God she loves his humour.

In the Velocity Beast stayed behind with the Professor for a moment. "Are you ok?" he asks his old friend.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Charles asks back.

"I saw Amelia. I know you must have as well."

Charles' face shows a slight hurt. He sighs. "She's obviously made a choice though I do not understand it...but this is not the time nor place to sort out the issues Amelia and I have, Hank. We must stop Magneto and find Patricia. Those are the only priorities."

Hank nods in agreement and then proceeds to help the Professor out the helicopter.

Charles needed to come. This was too important. He needs to talk to Erik, make him understand, however slim that possibility is.

Cyclops acknowledges the Professor's presence. "Alright, everyone. Cautious approach to the cave entrance, in pairs, covering each other..."

"Or how about not!" Rogue scoffs at the slow and cautious approach and she takes off at a 60mph plus sprint.

"Impetuous lass, isn't she," Banshee remarks.

"That's a polite term for her," Dom quips...and she says this as a loving sister.

Cyclops rubs his head. He can already see Rogue's in one of _those _moods where she chooses not to listen to him. "After her. She'll need our support," he orders, having no choice since Rogue will get in over her head if they don't back her up.

The X-Men rapidly chase after her, piling through the narrow mine entrance and hoping Rogue hasn't gotten too far ahead of them.

* * *

**Outskirts of Metropolis...**

Clark is pretty certain to an outsider this merry little chase would be funny with him and Bart being pursued by a bunch of cursing, superpowered, mostly teenagers.

Bart was really having fun mocking Quicksilver especially.

Really the whole thing was about mocking the lot of them, making the Brotherhood focus only on chasing Clark and Bart, away from Metropolis and the innocent people who might get caught in the crossfire.

Haze kept trying to teleport a couple of the Brotherhood in front of them and to give her credit even though it's failed miserably so far she isn't giving up as Blob and Burner appear in front of Clark and Bart.

"Freddy!" Superman greets with him with over the top enthusiasm. "You're looking good! That diet must be really working!" he falsely compliments the mountainous teen because if anything Blob is even larger than Clark remembers him to be.

Blob makes a roaring sound and charges at Superman.

"Right, charge at me because that's worked so well in the past," Superman mutters with an eye-roll. He stands there as Fred throws a punch, which he side-steps, grabs the arm and pulls Blob round, using Fred's own momentum as an aid because it is hard, even for him, to fight against the Blob's sheer mass. Superman then starts to spin faster and faster before letting go...right into the group chasing them. "Strike!" Superman cheers, his arms raised in the air as he knocks them down like bowling pins.

Meanwhile Bart is dodging the flame attacks of Burner. "Let me guess, you're hot stuff, right?" he quips.

Burner groans. Brings his hands together in front of him forming a bowl shape and projecting a stream of fire from them.

Bart raises both hands and moves them in a small circular motion out in front of him creating an incredibly strong wind that blows the flames out and sends Burner tumbling backward right into Haze.

"Ooh, sorry Señorita!" Bart apologises. "Really hate to hurt cute chicks!" he sincerely means that. Cute chicks like Jubilee. Man why is he here when he could be spending time with her? Now that's a very good question.

"The only one who should be worried about being hurt is you, you pathetic wannabe copycat!" Quicksilver shouts as he superspeeds at Bart who ducks under the blow before shifting into superspeed and he and Pietro race side-by-side exchanging punches and counters.

"STOP!" a roar of a voice makes both screech out of superspeed and almost fall flat on their faces. The command came from Sabretooth who had finally healed and caught up. "You idiots!" he yells. "You're letting them draw you off!" he berates the entire group.

"Well duh!" Superman says, confirming this. "I kinda thought you would figure that out Creed, which is why any sensible person would take you out first...oh wait. That's what I did. I am kinda disappointed that Haze didn't realise this. I figured Mystique's daughter would be better trained. I think the word sloppy applies."

Sabretooth growls at the boy who smirks in response.

"You shouldn't underestimate me just because I'm a pretty face."

"Dude, I totally feel your pain," Bart agrees as he slides in next to Clark. "People are always doing that but then again I have a very pretty face."

"I am going to tear you apart," Sabretooth promises.

"Uh huh. I think **he** might have an issue with that," Superman says as he points skyward.

Everyone looks up as the X-jet swoops in low and jumping from it comes Wolverine, claws drawn which he plunges into Sabretooth's chest eliciting a roar of pain. "Creed, always a pleasure to meet and stab ya," Logan says with way too much enjoyment.

Sabretooth manages to throw Wolverine off only that rips the wounds in his chest even wider.

Logan rolls as he lands and springs to his feet and the x-jet lands and Generation X pours out to stand with Superman and Bart. For the Brotherhood getting Blob off them and back to their feet buys the time necessary for that.

"Seriously?" Avalanche asks in disbelief. "We're getting the B-team now?" he complains at the level of mutant team Xavier sends after them.

Boom Boom steps forward one step and points at the dark-haired earth-shaker. "That's B as in brilliant, brave, brainy, beguiling, bodacious, breath taking, beautiful and last, but certainly not least, bootilicious baby!" she proclaims as she slaps her own ass.

"Thanks for that Boom Boom," Cannonball says.

"You're welcome my honey bunny!" Tabby jokily replies with sticky sweetness.

Sam groans.

The Brotherhood regroup as they line up against Generation X and Superman and Bart.

"Runt! I will rip your head off, I swear!" Sabretooth threatens Logan.

"Give it your best shot, bub!" Wolverine fires back.

"This is as far as you go," Cannonball tells the Brotherhood, taking charge. "The only way you leave is if you walk away after you tell us where Ms Patricia Swann is," he gives them the only condition in which this ends peacefully.

Siryn cracks her knuckles. "Personally I'd prefer it if you don't," she says, with an excited gleam in her eye that shows she loves a good brawl.

"We've fought and defeated the actual X-Men. What makes you think we're afraid of the reserves?" Quicksilver asks them.

"Actually Wanda beat the X-Men," Superman corrects Pietro. "Now what does it say that your little sister did all the work?"

"That these guys are complete losers?" Bart offers.

"That goes without saying," Iceman says.

"Ok can we stop talking and just beat up the traitors already?" Unuscione asks.

"Finally! Someone who knows what they're talking about!" Neutron agrees wholeheartedly with the idea of violence.

"Is that your choice?" Cannonball gives them one last chance.

"Yes. It is," Sabretooth confirms.

"Fine by me," Logan snaps back.

"And me!" Boom Boom says as she forms a little time bomb in her hand. "By the way, we're not the B-team. We're Generation X!" she says in a raised voice as she throws her time bomb into the air. "Tick, tick, tick...Boom!" she yells at the same time as the small energy bomb explodes and both sides use it a signal to start and they charge at each other.

* * *

_Author's Note: You know when I was thinking up costumes for everyone I looked back at some of the past ones for inspiration and my god what were they thinking? Some of them are hideous. Ray never had one being a Morlock. In fact disturbingly he seemed to appear often in only, what could almost be called, a pair of underpants. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the battles heat up._


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

**Appalachian Mountains, Virginia...**

The X-Men had passed a couple of unconscious guards on their way into the mine. A brief check said they would be fine so they swiftly pressed on in pursuit of Rogue. They reach the elevator shaft that takes people down into the buried factory and find no sign of Rogue...but the caged door has been visibly forced open.

"Dude, did she jump?" Spyke asks, unable to believe he is asking that.

Cyclops peers down the shaft and makes a small groan. "Rogue," he snaps her name off angrily.

"We should split up here," the Professor says. He points down a tunnel. "From the plans Patricia showed me this tunnel leads to a staircase. It's used as a back-up exit and entrance. The tunnel goes right through the mountain. I don't know how much Magneto pulled from Patricia's mind and if he knows about it but in either case a two-pronged approach is more advisable."

Cyclops agrees. Catching Rogue...they need to do that too. He can only hope she hasn't gotten herself into too deep a trouble. "Storm, take Spider-Man, Shadowcat, Banshee, Nightcrawler and Beast down the shaft. Catch up to Rogue if you can," he directs.

Storm nods in acceptance of Scott's orders.

"I'll take Jean, Spyke, Domino, Tarot and the Professor with me down the stairwell," Cyclops decides...and as for the Professor Jean will levitate the wheelchair bound man down the stairs.

With that the two different groups separate with Cyclops' heading off down the tunnel leaving Storm and her group with traversing the elevator shaft.

"So Spidey, any comment?" Kitty asks, giving Peter the opportunity to get his joke off his chest.

"Nah," he says with a shake of his head. "Lets just go and...shaft them."

There is a collective groan except from Kitty who giggles.

Under his mask Peter grins at the way his girlfriend giggles. It's so adorable. He wraps an arm around her waist, fires off a webline across the shaft which sticks on the far side. "Spidey Express Elevators going down!" he proclaims. "The weather today is a touch of dark, dank hole followed by a fair chance of dying at the hands of mutant supremacists!"

"Hmm, sounds like a normal day then," Kitty jokes back.

Peter swings into the shaft holding Kitty tight.

"Are those two always like that?" Banshee asks, rather bemused.

"Frequently," Nightcrawler reports, not in any sort of complaint. Kitty is his friend and it is so nice to see her happy which she seems to be very much so at the moment.

"Perhaps we can discuss it another time," Beast suggests as he leaps acrobatically down the shaft and grabs the webline Spider-Man is creating.

"Assuming we live," is Nightcrawler's joke as he leaps into the shaft bouncing off one side of it to the other, making his way down.

"Ladies first," Banshee offers to Storm.

"Thank you," she says to the rather charming Irishman as she steps into the shaft and glides down. Banshee follows her.

* * *

**Outskirts of Metropolis...**

When two groups of superpowered individuals clash it's not exactly something that can be missed. Wolverine and Sabretooth were, as per usual, involved in their own little personal bloody grudge match.

The others were involved in a complete melee when suddenly a great golden dragon seems to appear from nowhere, sweeping over the battlesite, roaring and breathing fire.

"What the deuce?!" Iceman exclaims.

"Ignore it!" Betsy yells. "It's a telepathic illusion!" he tells them as she concentrates hard and blocks it.

Iceman returns to his foe, the nearly indestructible Puzzler. He's to try and freeze her solid and prevent her breaking the pieces of herself off and using them as projectiles. So far it was a struggle as in so far he was failing miserably and only barely avoiding her hitting him.

Betsy turns her attention to the source of the illusion. The blond telepath.

Regan looks the purple-haired girl over and isn't impressed with what she sees. "You're what Xavier sends against me," she snorts disrespectfully. "A little girl with barely any control from what I can see. You're no match for me."

"First off, luv, worst English accent ever," Betsy snaps back.

"I grew up in England!" Regan defends her accent.

"Really?"

"Yes you bloody plonker!"

"If you say so," Betsy says, sounding like she isn't buying it. "Second off I don't have to match you in a battle of the minds if I kick your bloody head off!"

Regan looks perplexed. "What?"

Her answer comes in the form of Betsy taking a run at her followed by an extremely athletic flying kick.

Regan manages to deflect the kick away and spare her pretty face from a direct hit. It only lasts for a moment as Betsy spins round as soon as she lands and delivers a firm punch to her fellow English-woman's jaw.

Regan stumbles back, rubs her jaw and retaliates by spitting in Betsy's face. "Bitch!" she snarls. "That all you got? My sister hits harder than that!" she taunts.

"I feel so sorry for her to have a sister like you," Betsy snaps off mockingly as she wipes the spittle off.

Regan's lip curls up in disgust. "I am going to kick your arse," she promises.

"At least mine's perfectly formed and not lopsided," Betsy insults Regan.

Regan's eyes flash in anger. Her arse is a work of art. That's it. This two-bob tart is going down!

* * *

Berzerker finds himself facing off with the red-headed Plastique. After some training from Gambit he had given her a pack of his cards as a reward for...ahem, things Alicia should never know about. Anyway Plastique could see why he carried them. They were small, light, portable and once she imparted her explosive charge into them really quite deadly. When her obligation to Magneto for gifting her these powers was over she looked forward to making the Canadian government pay for its treatment of her father. She charges up a few cards and throws them at her opponent.

Ray manages to shoot each one with an electric attack causing it to explode in mid-air.

Plastique watches on. "Pas Mal," she remarks, semi-impressed. Not bad.

"Yeah...I really don't understand you. I struggle with English," Ray says back.

Plastique rolls her eyes and mutters something about him being uncouth and ignorant before sending a card crashing into the ground in front of his feet which explodes and sends Berzerker flying.

* * *

Sunspot faces off against the pyrokinetic known as Burner. This is actually a good opponent for him. Fire attacks don't hurt him and Roberto has more in his arsenal. Superstrength and durability on top but considering he only has enough stored energy to do this for 5 or 10 minutes he better make this quick.

Sunspot propels himself off the ground, flying low, Burner's fire attacks sliding off his body easily. Sunspot collides into the pyrokinetic and then, with his vastly superior strength, it doesn't take much to knock the white-haired man out.

Roberto's reward for that is to be struck hard in the stomach and send him flying with an audible 'oof!'. He crashes into the ground.

"Be careful Sunspot!" Cannonball advised as he flies over the sight, dishing out orders. "You're durable, not invulnerable."

"Yeah. Thanks for reminding me," Roberto mutters as he rubs his mid-section. He's sure that's going to leave a bruise. Luckily it's still winter and he can get away with wearing jerseys so he doesn't have to let any girls see his beautiful body marked. "What hit me?" he wants to know.

"Plastique," Cannonball explains what hit Roberto. An exploding card. "Ray's in trouble. I'll distract her. You hit her."

Sunspot nods as he waits for the moment to strike.

* * *

Siryn's sonic scream buffets the green forcefield of Unuscione. Unuscione retaliates by pushing her forcefield into the ground in front of her and propelling the earth at her red-haired opponent. Siryn quickly rolls out the way and uses her scream to push her off the ground and she glides over Unuscione sending out another incredible scream that ripples the energy field but doesn't shatter it.

Siryn is beginning to wonder what it will take. Perhaps she just has to prolong this conflict. A field like that must require a huge amount of concentration and no-one can concentrate that intensely indefinitely. She continues to glide above her foe, attacking from different angles and directions, waiting for that one moment Unuscione slips and when she does her ass will belong to Terry.

* * *

"Hold still you little pile of $%&£!" Volcana finds herself yelling at the hopping form of Toad whom she just can't quite seem to hit.

"Whoa. Does your momma know you talk like that?" Toad asks, shocked by the strength of the language Volcana uses.

"Yeah. She keeps lecturing me on it. Now how about you hold still and I promise it'll only hurt for about the rest of your fucking life!" she promises as her hair flares up and a ball of fire forms in her right hand.

Toad unleashes a slime-ball and manages to encase her entire hand.

The list of expletives that follows almost turns the air literally blue. She forms a fireball in her left hand and Toad, in what must be one of those very rare days when everything goes his way, encases it as well in a slime-ball. A couple of slime-balls later and he has managed to encase her ankles together and she trips over.

"Yo, yo, yo! The Toadster is in the groove today!" he proclaims in genuine surprise how well this is going. He even goes as far as punching the air in triumph.

"Don't celebrate yet, asswipe," Volcana says as her hair flares up bright, incredibly so. The ground around her starts to burn.

Toad pauses. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Volcana smiles dangerously. "Everything has a melting point."

Toad is confused...until he sees his slime start to bubble, melt and flow off like liquid. "Aw nuts," he curses. This will not end well.

* * *

Bart was back engaging in his superfast battle with Quicksilver. Pietro could not believe this. First Superman and now this twerp but luckily Pietro has no lack of faith in the fact he's way better than the both of them.

The two superfast boys are running side-by-side throwing punches, blocking each other, all so fast they are simply two streaks buzzing all over the battle site.

"I have to say for someone called Quicksilver I'm not really impressed. I haven't even broken a sweat yet," Bart mocks.

Pietro frowns. "I'm just warming up," he retorts.

"I hear a lot of talking but you haven't shown me nothin yet!"

Pietro kicks up into a higher gear only to find this irritating kid matches him stride for stride. This might actually take awhile.

* * *

Superman found himself taking on both Blob and Neutron in some attempt, Clark guesses, to overpower him. Problem with that for them is that it's been a good 6 months since he last fought the Brotherhood in particular. Clark's power essentially doubles every 6 months. His strength and speed are double what they were back then.

Clark hits the Blob with a right and Neutron with a left. When Blob retaliates he ducks, punches the gargantuan teen in the knee, blocks an attack from Neutron before clipping his knee and delivering a kick into his gut sending him flying.

Blob swings at Superman who ducks under it, delivers two quick blows to the teen's large gut before grabbing the right arm and twisting, enough to make even Fred cry in pain before hitting the elbow and then forcing Fred's fist into his own face. He moves Fred round and delivers a powerful right sending Blob stumbling back.

Neutron is back to his feet, snarls and charges at Superman who catches him incoming with an uppercut and the thuggish teen goes head over heels backward.

"Really guys, you can't win this. All I want is Ms Swann's location. Tell me and I stop the hurtin'," Superman makes some attempt to end this by offering a deal to his two foes.

"Why? She your girlfriend or something?" Neutron asks with a sneer as he wipes a tiny smear of blood from his nose where he lies on the ground. His lips curl into a cruel grin. "She is kinda pretty. Maybe I'll have some fun with her later."

Superman's expression darkens. "Now why do you want to say something like that?" he asks. "Really? Do you actually want to see me angry?"

At this moment Blob, who has been sneaking up from behind, locks his hands together and tries to bring them down on Superman who catches it easily with one hand.

"Now you know it's just rude trying to sneak up on me," Superman remarks lightly. His head snaps round to stare hard at Blob. "It's also never going to work."

Fred is shocked at how easily he is being held back. They use to be more evenly matched than this.

Neutron springs to his feet and charges, his hands glowing with radiant nuclear energy. He prepares to blast Superman in the face at point-blank range...only for his hand to be grabbed at superhuman speed and redirected and the blast hits Fred in the face instead.

The Blob stumbles back, covering his face. From previous incidents Neutron knows this can't really hurt Fred...but it does tend to piss him off.

"Ooh," Superman winces. "Now is that anyway to treat your team-mate?"

"Shut up!" Neutron snaps. "It was all your fault!"

"What was that? It was all Fred's fault for getting in the way?"

"What?! No!"

"Because he's slow and stupid?"

"What are you on abo..." Neutron trails off as his gaze catches the look on Fred's face. The one of incandescent rage. Fred is seeing red. "Fred! Wait a minute!"

Problem is when Fred sees red he doesn't listen. He roars and charges at Neutron colliding into the thuggish teen and the two start their own little brawl.

"Ouch," Superman winces. "That's going to leave a mark."

* * *

"Tabs, I don't want to fight you," Avalanche says to his opponent.

Boom Boom smirks. "I wouldn't want to fight me either."

"That's not what I meant. You have to see why we have to do this. Xavier's out of his mind."

Tabby arches an eyebrow. "Oh and Magneto's completely in his is he?" she asks sceptically. "Excuse me if I roll over laughing!"

"You can't possibly go along with this?" Lance thinks. He knows Tabby.

Tabby's face takes on a rarely seen seriousness. "It doesn't matter, Lance. I'm part of this team. I support my team-mates."

"You don't agree with what Xavier is doing, do you," Lance realises from her words.

Tabby shrugs. "Maybe it's a daft idea. Maybe it isn't but we all made our choices, remember," she asks him to recall when she left the Brotherhood and he chose to stay.

"So you go along with this madness?"

"And you go along with Magneto's," Tabby retorts. "You know the guy who wants to start a war that'll kill millions," she reminds Lance to make the point which of them is following the bigger madman. "Lance you know what I'm not really the sort who debates things. I just blow them up." Tabby forms a few small bombs in her hands. "Lets do this!" she declares and throws her little time bombs in the air above Lance.

Avalanche reaches into his powers causing the ground to crack and chunks to rise upward, creating an effective enough shield as the time bombs explode on contact. Lance then sends a seismic wave in Tabby's direction knocking her off her feet.

Tabby springs back to her feet quickly, focussing on Lance. Therefore she doesn't see the green mist appear behind her that takes the shape of Haze who strikes the blond energy-generator across the back of the head before teleporting in front of Tabby and slamming a right into the still stunned girl followed up by a spinning kick.

As Tabby falls to the ground Alicia teleports next to Lance and grabs his arm. "Come on. It's time," she pronounces, her tone deadly serious. This is exactly as planned. The X-Men and Superman busy. Now it's time to level Star Labs and with that thought she and Lance vanish.

Sam notices this immediately and rockets in to land next to his dazed girlfriend. "You alright?" he asks with concern.

"Sammy? Why are there 3 of you?" she asks back. "Not that I'm complaining," she says, her lips curling up into a sultry smile. "Hmm, just think of the possibilities."

Yep. She's fine...sort of. "Superman, ah know ya can hear meh," he speaks. "Tabby's down. Ah need ya ta help Iceman," he requests because last he saw Bobby was really struggling with Puzzler...which is not unexpected when she's virtually indestructible.

Since Blob and Neutron are beating the seven bells out of each other Clark does have a free moment and zips over. He finds Puzzler systematically smashing down Bobby's defences with the jigsaw shaped pieces of herself. He's definitely on the defensive and losing.

"How's tricks Iceman?" Superman asks as he appears next to ice-generator who is behind an ice-wall.

"Oh you know. I'm just hanging," Iceman replies in a light tone that completely belies the trouble he is in.

"Want to see what we can create together?" Superman asks.

Bobby's eyebrows rise. He wonders. His ice-powers. Clark's ice-breath. Could be interesting. "On 3?"

Clark nods. "1," he starts it as he inhales deeply.

"2," Bobby continues as he summons up his power.

Then Bobby strikes out with a beam of intense ice. Clark unleashes the coldest blast of freeze-breath he can. The two combine, creating a blast that would make the Arctic seem like a tropical paradise by comparison. It smashes through what remains of Bobby's ice-wall and encompasses Puzzler who vanishes in the blinding blizzard.

When it stops the silver human figure stands, utterly entombed in thick ice. Clark zips forward and punches the block hard, shattering it and Puzzler to pieces.

"Will she be alright?" Bobby asks.

"Yeah. All her pieces are linked through her consciousness which is diffused throughout her entire being. This way it'll just take her longer to pull herself back together...once she thaws."

"I'll just pretend I understood that."

Clark rolls his eyes as Sam lands carrying Tabby. Clark places his hand on Tabby's head as his eyes flash electric blue. "I don't see anything serious. It's just a knock. She'll be fine."

"Haze took Avalanche somewhere," Sam reports.

"Oh don't worry about that. I've got that covered," Clark assures Sam.

"Huh?" Bobby asks, clueless.

"One of these days they have to realise not to verbally discuss their plans within 10 miles of the guy with superhearing."

Bobby looks to Sam. "Huh?" he repeats.

"Trust me," Clark says with a lopsided grin. "Actually I've got an idea how we can end this." He whistles loudly. "Hey...Kid...Flash!" he yells. "Stop playing around with Quicksilver. I need to talk to you!"

_'Playing around?' _Pietro thinks incredulously to himself as he hears that. Like this dork is what? Taking it easy on him?

It's all very sudden what happens next. It's like golden lightning crackles over the kid in the hoodie's form and his motions become faster than even Pietro can follow and all he next knows is somehow he's flying through the air before he hits the ground and literally eats dirt.

Bart appears next to Clark. "Kid Flash? Dude, really?" he asks incredulously. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"That's what you get for missing staff meetings," Clark cheekily quips...and ok yeah it was the best he could come up with on the spur of the moment but they never, ever, have discussed a codename for Bart before.

Bart huffs slightly. "Is there a reason you're spoiling my fun?"

"Yeah I need to go to Star Labs and I need you to keep an eye on everyone. Do what Sam says. Can you do that for me?"

"Sure."

"Thank you."

Clark takes a step to leave.

"Superman. About Haze and Avalanche, you never explained," Sam points out.

"Trust me. I have the best person on the job for that one," Superman assures the Kentuckian native as he zips into superspeed leaving behind a still very confused Sam.

* * *

**Outside Star Labs...**

Haze and Avalanche appear outside the building forming out of her green mist. Lance shivers slightly. It's so weird to travel like that. It's almost like for a moment you don't exist anywhere.

Haze gazes at the building before her, her eyes glinting in harsh determination. "Level it," she orders in a tone that very much reminds Lance of Mystique.

"Do that and then you'll see what I look like when I'm really angry."

Avalanche and Haze spins round to find a tall woman dressed in a long black coat, black boots and pants, a red top with a black mask over her face. On her red top there is a wings motif. There stands Metropolis' protector; Nightwing.

Andrea, in her new coat, by the way, after the last one got shot full of holes, was originally going to aid Clark outside Metropolis but she was halfway there when he phoned and told her what he had overheard of their plans and asked her instead to protect the Star Labs building.

"This is not your concern!" Haze snaps angrily.

"Oh but it is," Nightwing rebuffs. "You see this city and its citizens are under my protection and the criminal element have come to learn one thing about me."

"Which is?" Avalanche asks.

Nightwing's eyes narrow to slits. "To fear me," she says, her tone at it's deepest and most gravelly.

"Bury her," Haze orders Avalanche with no care.

Avalanche stretches his hands out to the ground and taps his power. The ground cracks and rips open toward the darkly-clad vigilante.

Nightwing leaps forward, over the two mutants heads, lands in a crouch behind them and, with her hands on the ground, kicks out backward, sending both of her opponents flying. She spins round to see the blond girl vanish in a green mist as the boy rolls across the ground violently.

Nightwing's eyes search all around her. Where did that girl go?

She turns round just as the girl reappears delivering a powerful punch to Nightwing's face.

Big mistake...on Alicia's part. She instantly cradles her hand. "Son of a bitch!" she yells as the pain shoots up her arm. She's certain she heard something crunch. "What the hell are you?!"

The vigilante speaks only to confirms what all who should fear her need to know. "I'm Nightwing," she delivers the line before she delivers the knock-out punch to Haze.

The ground shakes and before Nightwing can react it opens up directly underneath her, swallowing her. Avalanche gets to his feet with a groan as he rubs his back where she kicked him. Seriously that really hurt. He wanders over to where the woman vanished. He wonders who she was. He's been out of the way for awhile, down in the Savage Land, so is kinda out of touch with things in the world.

Lance looks at the building. He better finished what he intended to. He summons up his power...only for the ground underneath to crack, not because of him, and a hand reaches out and grabs his leg. The ground crumbles away completely as he is pulled under.

A short time passes before an unconscious Lance flies out from the hole and lands on the ground followed by Nightwing as she climbs out. She dusts herself off. Luckily her durability comes in handy. Otherwise that could have been bad.

There is a familiar gust of wind and appearing next to her is a certain red and blue clad hero standing there, looking at her, an eyebrow arched. "That took you longer than I thought," he remarks, guessing she just finished by the way she is dusting herself off. He almost sounds disappointed, if anything, it had taken her so long.

Nightwing rolls her eyes. "Smart-ass," she grumbles under her breath.

"You know I can hear you," Superman points out. "Now I need to go get something from inside. Can you grab these two?" he asks her. "I have a plan."

"Should I have the panic attack now or after you start?"

"Oh funny. I wasn't aware you had a sense of humour," he teases her.

"Well it would make sense you would struggle to realise what a real one looks like considering what passes for your sense of humour," she retorts teasingly back.

Superman grins, a twinkle in his eye. If only he had more time but he doesn't. He blurs off inside the building while Nightwing picks up the two unconscious mutants.

When Superman returns he is carrying four pillar like objects.

"What are those?"

"Prototypes that I'm...borrowing." Superman activates his communicator. "Superman to Cannonball, can you hear me, over?"

"I hear you, over."

"I'm about to leave and come back and I have an idea. How's it going?"

"It's...going, still. You know they're better than they are in the simulations," Sam reports he is finding the fight.

"Must have gotten some training," Superman assumes. "Anyway I need you to corral them into a tight group if my idea is going to work. Can you try and do that?"

"We'll give it a go."

"I'll be there in a few minutes...with some more help. Superman out."

"You're still not saying what this plan is," Nightwing reminds him.

"I'll explain on the way," he promises. "Follow me," he says as he zips off, slower than he could so Andrea can keep up with him which she does.

* * *

**Appalachian Mountains, Virginia...**

Storm's group reach the bottom of the shaft and land on top of the elevator itself whose top-hatch has been ripped off.

A clear sign of Rogue.

They all drop through the hatch into the elevator and find the doors bent, pushed open from the inside.

"Is she needing to establish her female dominance or something?" Spider-Man asks, trying to make it a joke as he does pretty much everything.

"Or something," Kitty mutters. "I really don't, like, know what this is about. She's been a bit more rebellious and pig-headed than usual lately," she reports. She looks to Beast. "Could it be her new powers? Maybe they've altered her brain chemistry. Her body did try and copy Superman's powers. Perhaps they copied something else that is normal for him and he can cope with but she can't."

Beast looks thoughtful. "I hadn't noticed anything during her last physical but perhaps a more thorough examination of her brain chemistry could be in order."

"Or failing that the Professor can evaluate her psyche," Storm says. "That's for later. For now we must find her. Even with her enhanced strength she cannot battle the Acolytes alone."

"Is zhere suppose to be people here?" Nightcrawler asks. "Because it seems...vell too quiet," he comments.

"That's how it starts, you know," Spider-Man says. "Firstly they say it's too quiet and next thing you know you're being chased by zombies wanting to chow down on your grey matter."

"Oh please, That's not going to happen," Shadowcat dismisses that. "There will be no chasing...because the zombie is already here," she says menacingly as she slowly stretches her hands out in her boyfriend's direction and makes a zombie-like moan. "Grrn, brains."

"Aiieee," Spider-Man mock screams.

The rest of the group chuckles.

"Hoards o' brain-eating undead aside th' laddie has a point. It is too quiet," Banshee agrees.

Storm could see that. She listened and there was nothing. It's odd. Magneto wasn't that far ahead of them. How can he have subdued all the personnel already? Where was Rogue and what was she doing? "Let us move forward with caution," she instructs. "We need to try and establish the layout, do a search," she says because there is literally nothing else to be done. They could have done with Logan's tracking skills in all honesty.

That said the group make their way forward down the corridor.

* * *

With the other group of X-Men they had negotiated the stairs without much effort and certainly no opposition. They reach the door at the bottom.

Cyclops looks to the Professor or Jean to tell him it's safe to proceed forward. The Professor gives a nod and the group spring out the door, taking defensive positions just in case.

There is no-one and no sound either. It was eerie.

"Is anyone else getting that we're blundering into a trap feeling?" Domino asks.

"Yep," Spyke says in agreement.

"Cela a un mauvais pressentiment," Tarot says, as she nervously shuffles her Tarot cards in her hands.

"What?" Spyke asks, not understanding since he's been failing French for 3 years running.

"This has a bad feeling," Domino translates.

"It really does," Jean agrees wholeheartedly...and there is just something...off. She feels it but can't explain it.

"I wasn't aware you spoke French, Domino," Charles says, genuinely surprised.

"You can't be a master assassin unless you speak a language or three," she explains it. In other words it was part of her training when she was with Stryker.

"It changes nothing," Cyclops says. "We search the facility, rescue any personnel, stop Magneto. Come on," he directs the others to follow and with that they move off down the corridor.

* * *

Back with Storm's group they do find someone lying in the corridor up ahead of them.

"Rogue!" Nightcrawler cries out in panic at seeing his sister like this. He teleports instantly to her side, bends down and checks her over. There is no visible sign of injury. "Rogue," he speaks her name. "Can you hear me sis?"

Kurt leans down closer to listen and check she's breathing. Suddenly Rogue's green eyes snap open and just as sudden her hand tightly grips Kurt round his neck. Her bare hand. Kurt feels it instantly and it only takes a few seconds before she drains him unconscious. The two figures then vanish in a puff of blue smoke.

Shadowcat frowns in puzzlement "What was...?" she never finishes her question as she is surrounded by the choking blue smoke and feels a powerful hand grab her neck and it is the last thing she knows.

It's all incredibly quick. All so fast and unexpected. Puffs of blue smoke jumping from one person to the next. It's almost faster than any human could react. It means no-one is prepared for it. Why would they be? It's Rogue. Their friend and team-mate.

Spider-Man is a little more than human and when his spider-sense goes crazy he leaps out of the way. When the blue smoke clears he finds Rogue standing amongst his team-mates lying flat out, unconscious and on Rogue's face is a very disturbing smile with an evil glint in her eye.

"Just tha itsy-bitsy little spidah left," Rogue sing-songs darkly.

"Ok I'm going to go with mind-control as the specialist subject of the day," Spider-Man assumes what is going on.

Rogue shrugs. "Maybeh it is. Maybeh it isn't. It doesn't really mattah does it? Tha outcome's all tha same. I have all their powahs," she gestures at her fallen friends, "and ya don't stand a chance." Rogue holds a hand up and lightning arcs between her fingers as her eyes sparkle with electricity showing she does indeed have Storm's powers. Rogue chuckles merrily. "It's amazin how y'all forget just how powerful and dangerous ah am. Ah tell ya what. Since ah'm in a good mood ah'll give ya tha first shot," she offers, holding her arms out to the side, giving Peter an open shot at her.

"I'm a gentle-spider. I don't go in for hitting women...even ones who are probably strong enough to rip my spine out."

Rogue smirks.

Under his mask Peter blinks. He could swear he's seen that exact same smirk somewhere else, on someone else's face.

Rogue locks her fingers together and cracks her knuckles. "Alright then. Ah gave ya a chance. Now ya get none."

"Come on Rogue. This isn't you," Spider-Man tries to appeal to her.

"Ya don't know meh. None of them really know meh," Rogue dismisses him and her friends, her voice cold. She inhales deeply and unleashes Banshee's power. A sonic scream that fills out the entire corridor giving no-one, not even someone as agile as Spider-Man anywhere to avoid it.

The concussive force slams into Spider-Man sending him flying back and he lands on the floor with a grunt. "Phew. Get that girl some breath mints."

Of course talking when you're opponent can move as fast if not faster than him probably isn't the smartest thing he has ever done as he finds himself picked up and slammed into the wall so hard to put a Spider-Man shaped dent into the reinforced concrete. Peter finds himself staring into the super-focussed face of Rogue.

"Should have taken your shot when ya had tha chance," she tells him.

"Yeah, well, I'm known for not always making the brightest decisions," Spider-Man says in a self-deprecating manner.

Rogue smiles coldly. "Ya know it's stuff lahke that that makes her love ya so much."

"Well I wouldn't say...wait. Who loves me?" he asks, completely caught out.

"Guess."

"Maybe later," he says as he pulls his feet up and then pushes with all his strength and he manages to send Rogue flying across the corridor smashing into the wall opposite. He fires off his webshooters at her, hoping to pin her to the wall...only they phase right through her. "Right. My girlfriend's powers. Of course they would end up being used against me," he complains. It's just his luck.

Rogue strides forward in a phased state.

"You can't keep that up," Spider-Man knows. "You can't breathe when phased. The oxygen molecules pass through you. You're holding your breath and even you can't do that do for more than a few minutes." See having Kitty as his girlfriend is useful because she tells him stuff like this. "Now come on. Lets sit down and talk. You certainly don't need the exercise. Really. You look fabulous. Not as fabulous as Shadowcat but as her significant other I'm obligated to think she's the most beautiful girl in the world."

Rogue chuckles. "Ah don't need ta keep it up forever, _Spidey_," she says his name is such a condescending manner.

Peter realises. If she's talking she's phased back into sync and that is when his spider-sense hits as Rogue strikes at him. He blocks and counters...and his hand goes right through her throwing him off balance. Rogue sweeps at his legs. He leaps upward over it and sticks to the ceiling.

"You know despite being Kitty's friend I'm seriously considering unfriending you on facebook," he tells her as he desperately tries to think what to do. He's in trouble here for as long as Rogue is juiced up on all those other powers.

"Oh shut up," Rogue says, fed-up of the inane chatter as she channels lightning from her hand and blasts it at him.

Peter flips backward across the ceiling. "You'd be amazed how often I hear that! I mean I can't possibly talk that much can I?"

Rogue growls.

"Ok don't answer that."

Rogue summons all the power of the Storm. The pressure in the corridor changes. The wind picks up, clouds appear from nowhere, a blizzard blows, blinding Spider-Man. He starts to shiver at the cold and his teeth chatter. "I'm not the Arctic friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man," he complains.

His spider-sense goes off but before he can react a fist appears through the ceiling and snaps him in the face and he drops to the floor, dazed by the sheer force of the power. Rogue phases down through the ceiling and lands atop of him, making sure to use all her weight and strength as she pins him down. Her face drops down to inches from his own. There is almost a lustful expression on her face. "Ya know you're almost as much fun as mah ex."

"I think I'm insulted," Peter remark because her ex, as far as he knows, is Clark.

She reaches for his mask and rolls it up, revealing the lower portion of his face. Her lips drop near his and he can feel her warm breath.

"What are you doing?"

"Kitty thinks you're tha greatest kissah in tha world. Ah want ta see if she's right."

"Wait...hmmpf!" his protests are cut off as Rogue's lips touch his. He doesn't respond no matter how tempting or good or...oh damn. He can feel his strength drain way with incredible speed and he is soon joining the others on Rogue's hit-list into slipping into unconsciousness. She doesn't stop kissing him.

"Ahem," a cough interrupts her.

Rogue pulls back and touches her lips with her fingers. "Dang. He is good," she says with a truly evil smirk.

"Are you done?"

Rogue turns her attention to the question asker. The man in the helmet. "Yeah. Ah'm done," she reports as she gets to her feet and walks towards Magneto with a sway to her hips.

"Impressive," Magneto comments at the way she took down them all. "I am surprised he lasted the longest," he remarks, pointing at Spider-Man. He hadn't thought much of the wise-cracking hero.

"Spider-sense he calls it. An innate precognitive ability ta sense dangah," Rogue explains it.

"I might have misjudged him."

"Yet ah took him down. Ya just have ta overwhelm his senses and it gets lost in tha mix."

"I think I might have misjudged you as well," Magneto sort of apologises. "When you contacted me I wasn't certain you were genuine about wishing to leave Charles."

"And that was what this was all about wasn't it? A test for meh. Did ah pass?" she wants to know, fluttering her eyelids in a false attempt to use her feminine charms.

"With flying colours," Magneto praises her.

"Tha Professor is makin' a mistake with this inhibition technology. Ah want ta help ya correct that mistake...but remember our deal. Ah don't want mah friends hurt."

"They shall not be permanently damaged," Magneto promises her.

"And tha Professor and tha othahs?" she inquires. They're still loose elsewhere in this factory.

"They shall be incapacitated...with your assistance. I already have a plan."

"So."

"So?"

"So before that ah have ta know. Am ah in?" Rogue wants clarified about her status.

"You are indeed," Magneto confirms. "Welcome back to the fold, Rogue. Welcome back home to the Brotherhood of Mutants."

And as Magneto says it the Acolytes join them from round the corner. Rogue takes them all in, her new team-mates and says, with a self-satisfied smile, "It's good ta beh home."

* * *

_Author's Note: Side-effect? Mind-control? Or has Rogue simply fallen to the darkside? We'll find out. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; will the rest of the X-Men fall due to Rogue's betrayal and back out west just what exactly is Clark's plan?_


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

**Outskirts of Metropolis...**

It was indeed a tough battle being fought between the Brotherhood and Generation X. Much tougher than some might have imagined. Wolverine and Sabretooth were still trying to tear each other apart. With their healing factors that could take days if they were left to it.

Plastique was proving a most tricky foe. She had already managed to put Berzerker down and avoid the attempted follow-up Sunspot had tried when Cannonball distracted her...or tried to. She didn't fall for it.

Roberto can painfully attest to that as an exploding card hit his right knee. There was definitely some damage. If he hadn't been in his Sunspot form he thinks she would have blown his leg clean off. As it was he was suffering a quite pronounced, and may he add painful, limp.

Despite this Sunspot sends a solar blast at her pushing her on the defensive but he could feel his power waning. He had a couple of minutes more only if he tried to keep this up.

Luckily he gets assistance in the shape of Iceman. "Chill out, man I'm here," he announces himself as he slides in, sending ice-balls in Plastique's direction, keeping her moving, keeping her dodging, driving her to a specific location as is the current plan.

* * *

"Run wart-boy! Run!" Volcana laughs manically as she throws fireballs at Toad, making him leap from one place to the next.

"You are crazy, yo!" Toad yelps as one fireball nicks him.

"Yeah and isn't it fucking great!" Volcana proclaims as she walks after him, her body temperature now so hot she scorches the earth under her feet. It makes sure Toad can't slime her again. She vaporises the slime-balls instantly.

Volcana sends out a stream of burning fire forcing Toad to that one specific place. All part of the plan.

* * *

Unuscione is still holding Siryn to a stalemate and Terry still can't break through that damn forcefield. She unleashes her sonic scream once again. As she does so Cannonball lives up to his name and hits the field...passing through it and clipping Unuscione.

Sam turns abruptly and lands next to Terry.

"You got through," Siryn says with surprise.

"She must have been focussing it on you," Sam works out.

"Ah, so if we hit her at the same time from different directions," Terry starts to lay it out.

Sam nods. "It should be more than her forcefield can cope with."

Siryn eyes Unuscione recovering from Cannonball's glancing blow. "Better do it now. I'll distract her. Go," she says.

Sam blasts off into the air and some distance away while Siryn charges directly at the brown-haired girl, unleashing her sonic scream as she goes.

Unuscione holds her field in place until Siryn is close and then pushes it out like a fist, smacking the Irish girl hard. It is at this moment Sam plows into her from behind, carrying her along and dropping her on the ground at the point where the other Brotherhood members, those still in the fight, are being driven to.

* * *

While the Blob and Neutron are still having their 'difference of opinion' Betsy is slugging it out with Regan Wyngarde. She may not be ready to defeat this girl on a psychic battlefield but in the real world she can kick her arse.

Ok admittedly it hadn't been easy. The blond bimbo was pretty good but Betsy had her on the defensive now.

Right hook, left, jab to the shoulder, block a weak counter, jab to the throat and as Regan grasps for her throat, Betsy runs forward, flips into a handstand and delivers a double kick with a swivel of her hips knocking Regan onto her arse.

With great agility Betsy flips back on to her feet, grabs the blond by the hair and smashes one punch into her face. Two punches, three, she walks away a step and deliver the coup de grace with a spinning kick.

Betsy flicks her hair back. "Who's the plonker now?" she asks with a smirk, then winces slightly as she rubs her cheek. Oh yeah. That's going to bruise.

* * *

Back to the superstrong slugfest Neutron deflects one of Blob's punches. "Come on Fred. We're suppose to be fighting the X-Men! Do you remember any of that?!" he pleads.

"I really don't think he cares."

Neutron blinks and spins round just as a woman in black leaps, catches his head in a scissor-lock with her legs and flips him off his feet, tossing him into Blob's sizeable girth with immense force.

Neutron lies on the ground dazed while Fred tries to work out who this lady is. "You shouldn't have done that," he says.

"That's what they all say," the woman says back in her gravelly tones as she stands to her full height. "Now as Superman would say how about we do this the easy way because you do not want to do the hard way with me."

"You know Superman?"

"Wow you're quick aren't you."

"Did you just call me stupid?" Fred asks, his face starting to colour in anger.

"Since I don't go in for any of these games I'll just go with, yes. Yes, I did."

"No-one insults the Blob!" Fred roars as she charges at her. He raises his hands to bring them down atop her in a crushing blow. To say he is shocked when she catches both arms would be an understatement.

Nightwing does have to grit her teeth at the effort and her knees buckle slightly and the ground under her cracks from the force but she manages to stop him. God Clark said Blob was strong but she really underestimated it quite a bit. She bends her knees somewhat and pushes through them, throwing his arms away and with his defences down she follows that up with a kick right into the Blob's chin and she doesn't hold back.

The air seems to ripple from the power as her blow physically lifts the Blob off the ground as his head snaps back and he goes flying several feet.

Quicksilver, who was still trying to get his hands on that annoying kid in the hoodie, screeches out of superspeed. "She...uh...she KO'd Fred?" he stammers in shock. Who was this woman?

"Man I'd forgotten how hot she was," Bart comments as he stands next to Pietro.

The two boys turn their heads and look at each other. Pietro frowns deeply and throws a punch which Bart manages to dodge and off they go again at superspeed.

Not quite a KO as it turns out as Fred slowly rises onto unsteady feet.

Nightwing wastes no time nor chatter(like some people she could mention) and breaks into a run. The gymnast in her starts to flip herself head over heels doing somersaults before one big push off the ground to land one flying kick...and she finds her foot caught.

An appropriate response might be the following; Crap!

Blob slams her down into the ground hard, face first. Before she can get back up he slams his foot down onto her back, piling her down deeper into ground.

An eardrum splitting sonic scream saves Nightwing from further punishment as Siryn, now free of battling Unuscione glides in to help. Luckily Unuscione's blow on Terry wasn't too bad and she was able to shake it off quickly.

Blob tries to cover his ears as he cries out in pain.

Nightwing wastes no time. She pushes herself up and slams a kick into the back of Blob's knees while at the same time pushing him, making him topple over. She grab hold on one gargantuan leg and starts to spin him round and round. "Which way?!" she asks.

Siryn lands and points. "Where they're pushing the others," she answers.

Nightwing manages to see the gist of the direction and spins faster and faster and throws Blob who lands almost exactly where he needs to be.

"Good throw," Siryn compliments Nightwing, rather impressed.

"I have a good sense of spacial awareness," Nightwing replies to that. It's from the gymnastics. You need to be acutely aware of where you are in regards to whatever piece of equipment you're working on. As for what happened to Avalanche and Haze whom she was carrying...they're nearby. She had to drop them off to pick this fight. Now if Clark will just get this right this fight is almost over.

* * *

The Brotherhood were running low of members still standing. There was Toad running like hell away from Volcana. Plastique putting up a fighting retreat. Burner had recovered from his earlier knock but was retreating from Sunspot and Iceman who were using a very odd but effective fire and ice double act upon him and Pastique.

Wolverine and Sabretooth were lost in their own little fight. No-one had dared get in the middle of it and risk Logan chewing them out for interrupting his fun.

Cannonball directs events. The Brotherhood were really close together, standing over their fallen team-mates. Almost there. He spots Quicksilver and Bart. He has to time this right. "Cannonball!" he yells as he propels himself at the two super quick boys. "Kid Flash! Now!" he yells, using the only name they have come up with.

In an instant Bart grabs an attempted punch from Pietro twists the arm and holds him still for a second which is all Sam needs as he plows into Pietro hard enough to knock the wind out of the arrogant teen and dumps him with the others.

"Volcana! Containment!" he orders.

Volcana slams her hands on the ground and ribbons of fire leave in opposite directions and surround the Brotherhood members in a circle of flame. She raises them to form a wall of fire driving them ever closer together.

"Superman! Now!" Sam gives the orders.

A red/blue blur scorches through the wall of fire, from nowhere seemingly and slams down the 4 pillars, half a dozen feet apart in a square shape, around the group of mutant foes. A green energy field forms between the pillars.

"Superman, Kid Flash, Nightwing. Clean up!" Cannonball directs. Yes he knows who the woman in black is. Clark did explain the plan over the communicator.

The two boys and one woman rush off at their own superhuman speed.

Superman puts an end to Wolverine's and Sabretooth's little bloodbath when he slams a superpowered punch into Sabretooth's already damaged, thanks to Wolverine's claws, mid-section, dropping Creed to his knees. Clark then grabs Sabretooth in a crushing grip round the throat and drags him at superspeed across the ground tossing him into the field with the others.

Bart scoops up the other fallen like Neutron and piles up Puzzler's pieces, still frozen into a neat pile.

Nightwing retrieves Haze and Avalanche and tosses them in.

Betsy carries Regan. Superman slips out of superspeed next to her as Regan groggily opens her eyes. Her hand reaches out and feel up Clark's left arm. "You're so pretty!" she declares in her out of it state. "I will so have your babies if you want."

Betsy sniggers.

Clark rolls his eyes as a faint blush forms on his cheeks. "I'm afraid that's not possible, Miss."

"Aw!" Regan pouts before she slips back unconscious and is tossed, relatively gently into the field as well.

They don't throw Puzzler in, since they aren't sure what would happen if they did this to her when she is broken up.

"What is this?!" Pietro demands to know.

"It is what you were trying to destroy," Superman answers. "How does it feel to be a normal human being again?" he asks.

Pietro's face pales. "What?" He shakes his head in disbelief. "No, no, no!" he shouts and tries to blur away only to move at a perfectly human pace and get a nasty shock when he hits the green field.

"Oh yeah. Should have mentioned. This was designed to hold people within it so it can give you quite a sharp electric shock," Superman explains.

"Traitors!" Unuscione roars at them furiously.

Without his healing factor to heal his throat Sabretooth can't actually speak at the minute.

"Oh can it!" Wolverine snaps as he walks over, his body still healing from his tussle with Sabretooth.

Sam has gone to check on their walking wounded. Tabby was still out of it. As was Ray. Sunspot was basically drained and his knee was killing him. So much so he had had to sit down on the ground to take the weight off.

Logan addresses the group. "We ain't here to debate nothin with any of you...and Creed you have no idea how tempted I am to finish this with you now your healing factor's gone."

Sabretooth glares at his old enemy but without his healing factor isn't in any position to do anything.

"Wolverine," Superman says sharply with a hard stare for good measure.

"Don't give me the lecture, Boy Wonder. I've heard it," Logan tells Clark to get off his case. Besides he wouldn't murder Creed in front of his kids no matter how tempting the idea might be. He wouldn't inflict that on them.

"All we want to know is where Patricia Swann is," Superman demands. "We didn't have to do any of this if you had just told us!"

"Yeah but then the Big Boss' plan wouldn't have worked, yo," Toad says.

"Toad!" Pietro hisses.

Toad clamps both hands over his mouth but it's too late.

"This was a set-up?" Nightwing asks.

Pietro folds his arms across his chest defiantly. "I'm not saying a thing and this can't hold us here forever."

"It doesn't need to, luv," Betsy says. "Or did you forget that I'm a telepath."

"Get it out of him," Wolverine orders. "Or I will and I won't be as nice about it."

Pietro's eyes shift to the purple-haired girl. He hadn't really gotten a good look at her before in all honesty due to the whole fight. "Risty?" he queries in complete confusion.

"Not quite. Name's Betsy...and if you ever see that shape-shifting pillock who stole my face you can tell her that payback's a bitch but not as big as one as me when I've been crossed."

Terry chuckles. She really liked Betsy.

"You got that?" Betsy asks Pietro.

Pietro nods, still puzzled a little but guessing Mystique must have copied this girl for Risty's image.

"Right then. Lets get on with the old brain rummage shall we. How many braincells I kill is entirely dependant on how much you resist."

"Tell them nothing," Unuscione hisses.

"You're not in a position t' refuse," Siryn points out.

"Pietro," a voice with a groan says. It's Avalanche who is sort of coming round.

Pietro looks at the figure on the ground.

"Just tell them. It doesn't make any difference. They can't stop it."

Pietro tosses that around in his head.

"Stop what?" Volcana asks.

Pietro decides Lance is right. They can't stop it. "My father decided that that Swann lady was going to join our cause."

"What does that mean?" Superman demands to know.

"She was going to become one of us."

Superman's eyes flash red. "You better not mean what I think you mean Pietro."

Pietro smirks. "It'll be done by now."

"I'm lost," Nightwing says. "What are you talking about?"

"Magneto has a machine that can turn humans into mutants," Superman answers. They learned that from Rogue's little trip through it back last year. Live Wire talks way too much which is frankly stating the bleeding obvious. "Assuming he's telling the truth." He looks to Betsy with a questioning expression.

"He's telling the truth," Betsy can confirm. Although she didn't know about that machine before now.

"Where?" Wolverine says with a snarl.

"Don't know," Pietro says with a lazy shrug.

Logan looks to Betsy for whether that's true.

"He's telling the truth," Betsy has to reluctantly say.

"He didn't tell anyone where the machine is now as far as I know except the teleporter he used," Pietro continues on.

"As far as he knows it's the truth," Betsy says before anyone asks.

"You really think he keeps us in the loop?" Pietro asks them, sounding a little disdainful at his father's continuing lack of trust in him.

"Might have a point there," Volcana has to concede.

"Team meeting. Now," Wolverine orders.

"Excuse us a minute," Superman says to them.

The whole group gather around where Sam is along with Sunspot, Berzerker and Boom Boom a short distance away in case the Brotherhood try an escape.

Superman starts with an introduction. "Everyone this is Nightwing. Nightwing this is everyone."

Andrea rolls her eyes. "Helpful," she grumbles softly.

Everyone has to say that Nightwing is very impressive. For Betsy this is her first time to eye up her competition in the flesh. It was going to be tough competition Betsy has to say being fair. From what she can see Nightwing is tall, lean and really quite pretty.

Bart zips next to Nightwing and gives her a hug. "So good to see you again, Señorita!"

Nightwing growls and picks Bart up by the scruff of his neck. "How many times do I have to say not to call me that!" she snaps at him.

"Easy," Superman says, laying a gentle hand on Andrea' shoulder. "For the Fastest Man Alive he's just a little slow when it comes to learning."

"Hey!" Bart protests at that.

Andrea looks at Clark's gentle but firm gaze and lets Bart go.

Ok. Really tough competition Betsy can see from that little exchange. There was obviously a bond but as she said until Clark says absolutely not she isn't giving up.

"Focus, people," Logan says. "What do we do?"

"If Magneto has the answers we want shouldn't we go back up the X-Men," Siryn proposes. The Brotherhood are basically useless to them.

"We should try and contact them first," Sam thinks.

"And that bunch of dickheads?" Volcana asks, jerking her thumb at their captives. "What are we doing with them?"

"Well there isn't a jail cell that can hold them is there," Iceman remarks. "Which all this is about in the first place."

"Oh don't start on that," Sunspot warns Bobby. There has been many an argument on the issue.

Bobby shrugs. "Hey I may agree with you that it is not a great idea but look at this situation. We're going to have to let them go. We can't keep them here in the middle of nowhere now, can we?" he points out and there ladies and gentleman is the rare sight of Robert Drake being serious.

"Offer them a deal," Siryn suggests. "We let them go and they don't keep trying to level Star Labs or...?"

"I could break off the chunk of ground underneath them and threaten to take them back to the Institute," Clark comes up with. "I mean I know the mansion is not a prison but...ok it's mostly a bluff," he concedes.

Logan strokes his chin. "Yeah but as someone who plays poker regularly a good bluff can still win the game. And it doesn't have to be a complete bluff. We could do that until this blows over."

"And all else I'll still be here," Nightwing points out. This is her city. She protects it.

They agree to make the proposal and see what happens. In the meantime Bart ends up getting roped into helping Sam get the wounded into the x-jet while the rest take care of the Brotherhood.

They let Logan do the talking as it seems more likely it will be bought as the truth coming from him.

"Alright Mags-junior, listen up," Logan addresses Quicksilver. "Frankly we have bigger fish to fry and don't need to waste any more time on you. So here's the deal. Agree to walk away without any more trouble and we let ya. Otherwise I'll have Superman here pick up that slice of dirt you're standing on and take ya back to the Institute and we can throw the lot of ya in the deepest darkest hole we can find and leave ya to rot."

Pietro's eyes scan all the faces looking for a sign of something. A tip off whether this is a bluff.

Plastique just makes the accusation. "Vous bluffez."

Superman responds to her. "Vous vous trompez. Je vous promets que c'est exactement ce que je vais faire et je tiens toujours ma parole." That translates to; You are mistaken. I promise you that is exactly what I will do and I always keep my word.

Plastique arches an eyebrow. She's impressed he speaks her language so well. "Donc, vous donnez votre parole que vous aurez juste Laissons?" Translates to; So you give your word you'll just let us leave?

"Oui. Tant que vous donnez à vous de quitter pacifiquement." Translation; Yes. As long as you give yours to leave peacefully.

Plastique considers it for a moment. The fact they tried means she has lived up to her agreement with Magneto. Remember she is not in this for the great mutant cause. She is in it only as an exchange. Her powers for a set period of time where she repays her debt. "Je suis d'accord."

"I agree," Superman says it in English. "Plastique agrees to leave peacefully. What about the rest of you?"

Lance is just about back to his feet. "Yeah. I think we're done here."

Pietro snaps his head round to stare at Lance.

"It's over Pietro. They've won unless you missed it. We're imprisoned for as long as they want," Lance makes the point, showing some maturity that seems to have developed within him lately.

Pietro wanted to deny it. He wanted to complete the task his father assigned them but it is hopeless without his powers. He says it through extremely gritted teeth. "Fine. We agree."

"Just make a note I'll be sticking around to make sure you do," Nightwing says.

"He does mean it," Betsy once again confirms. "But we could do without the potty mouth," she criticises some of the less than polite words going through Pietro's head.

"Superman, turn it off," Logan orders. "Before you punks make one move make note it takes a few seconds for your powers to kick back in." _Snikt!_ Goes Logan's claws. "And a few seconds is all I need."

Superman walks up to one pillar and shuts it off before walking over to another and shutting it off creating a gap in the field. He shuts off the other 2 and picks the pillars up while the Brotherhood wait for their powers to kick in. They still have quite a few members out for the count.

"You're dooming us all, you know that," Unuscione accuses, her glare full of hate at ones whom she deems traitors.

"Lady tell it to someone who cares," Logan shoots back.

Unuscione isn't finished. "It doesn't matter that you beat us. Magneto will succeed," she says with absolute confidence.

"Huh, I see the propaganda sell was a great success for you," Bobby quips.

Unuscione glares at him.

Meanwhile Superman has being using his x-ray vision to examine the Brotherhood's defeated members. "Your friends should be fine but we can help them if you want," he offers.

"No thanks," Pietro snaps sharply. "We don't need help."

Sabretooth's vocal chords heal enough for him to speak in a hoarse tone. "None of this is over."

"I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance," Logan mutters.

"You should have runt," Sabretooth snarls harshly.

"You need to shut up," Nightwing orders. "Or I can just punch you a clear mile."

"I would listen to her," Superman advises. "That distance would be her taking it easy...or you know I could always phone Wanda to come. I'm sure she would love a_ reunion_ with her brother."

Pietro audibly gulps at the mere mention of Wanda's name. Though he did wonder where she was. He hadn't seen or heard anything of her lately. He won't ask these guys and show them anything.

Sabretooth growls. He's not happy but he ain't stupid either. This one is over. Save it for another day...and there will be another day. "Pick the others up," he orders.

"You pick Blob up!" Pietro cries.

"Wake him up!" Sabretooth orders about what to do with the monstrous teen.

Pietro zips over and slaps Freddy trying to wake him up.

Generation X should be going to aid the X-Men but they have to stick around just long enough to make sure the Brotherhood are keeping their word.

Sam and Bart return from the x-jet. "I tried to raise the X-Men but there was no response," Sam says worryingly.

"Could be they're inside the factory," Siryn thinks. "It is underground. Could be blocking the signal."

Logan looks over at the Brotherhood. "We need to be getting after them not watching that lot."

"I'll stay," Superman volunteers. "Bart and I could stay with Nightwing until we're certain the Brotherhood are keeping their word. Bart and I can cover the distance in a few minutes and catch up with you. That would allow you to go now," he argues.

"You sure kid?" Logan asks. It is a tempting idea.

"Course he is," Bart answers for Clark. "We can totally handle this," he says with a touch of cocky arrogance.

Logan rubs his face. "Alright," he agrees. "But keep in touch," he adds in case they do need help. "Generation X, we're going," he announces.

Betsy takes a moment to talk to Clark. She saddles up next to him. "You're sure you'll be alright?" she asks him, concerned for his well-being.

"Course," he replies assuredly with that dorky grin of his that always has Betsy grin back. He frowns and pushes Betsy's hair back a little off her face. "That looks sore," he comments at the bruise forming.

"Yeah. It stings a little," she admits.

"I have to ask about the girl you fought. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Clark asks because it was pretty impressive.

Betsy gestures for him to come closer. "Keep a secret?"

Clark leans in and nods.

"I'm actually a ninja," she says before giving him a cheeky wink and a smile. "You be good," she tells him with a quick peck on his cheek before she heads for the x-jet with the others.

Andrea frowns. She did not like the way that girl with the purple hair acted with Clark. Sure you could dismiss it as a friendly little peck but dammit something about it is just eating at her gut.

Clark watches Betsy go with a bemused expression.

"Damn," Bart whispers. "Why isn't one of us dating her?"

Clark gives Bart a look. "Aren't you dating Jubilee?"

"Not officially," Bart counters.

Clark rolls his eyes.

"Seriously though why don't you ask her out. You seem to click," Bart comments.

Andrea coughs...loudly.

_'Oh yeah. That's one reason,'_ Bart suddenly remembers. Clark and Andrea.

Clark looks at Bart oddly. Sure he likes Betsy...as a friend. Though what was that Claire was saying just before this whole thing kicked off. About Betsy would 'comfort' him. He...really needs to focus on the Brotherhood but when this is over he'll have to get Claire to explain what she meant.

Clark, Bart and Andrea watch as the x-jet takes off leaving them with the responsibility of making sure the Brotherhood keep their word.

Oh yeah. This should be fun.

* * *

**Deep within the Appalachian Mountains, Virginia...**

Cyclops, Jean, Domino, Spyke, Tarot and the Professor had heard some commotion elsewhere in the factory. In fact the Professor knows Banshee's sonic scream anywhere. They tried to raise the other team on the communicator and failed. Now they were trying to hurriedly find them while taking precautions. Unfortunately the staircase had deposited them on a different level. Even more unfortunately Jean and the Professor were being telepathically interfered with. It was clever. It wasn't trying to block them. It was merely dulling their telepathic senses. Whoever Magneto's new telepath was they were pretty good.

"There's someone up ahead," Jean suddenly senses as they near a junction.

Cyclops signals for them to slow and be ready. "Who?"

"Can't tell...but it's only one," the Professor reports, a little puzzled why only one person.

Cyclops leads them forward slowly as they reach the corner. He signals on 3. He raises 1 finger then 2 then they leap out...

"Rogue!" he says in surprise. She's leaning up against the wall, looking out of breath.

Domino goes to her sister's side. "What happened kiddo?"

"Magneto...ambushed us...ah..." she shakes her head. "Ah couldn't save...ah tried...they double teamed meh...Colossus and Frenzy...too strong...Ah..."

"Easy Rogue," the Professor advises. "Take some breaths."

Rogue nods as she tries to catch her breath.

"Now explain what happened."

"Ah ran ahead ta scout ya know. Cause it's safah for meh than anyone else with mah powahs," she justifies her running off to them. "Anyway ah found that Magneto had already rounded up tha personnel down here and took them ta tha centre, where tha production line or whatevah is."

The Professor nods in understanding. Patricia had shown him the layout. These outer corridors surrounded an open plan centre where the factory floor, so to speak, was. These were offices and administration suites.

Rogue continues. "So ah ran back and bumped inta Storm and tha othahs. We were goin' ta rescue tha civilians but it was a trap. Magneto or someone must have spotted meh. Ah only got away because Frenzy was careless and punched meh through a wall. Ah don't know what happened ta tha othahs. Ah'm...ah'm sorry Professor," Rogue apologises with a hangdog expression.

Charles sighs. "I'm sure you did your best Rogue," he says because it's the thing to say.

"So now we have to rescue the others too," Spyke says, unable to believe this...but he swears if they hurt his auntie O he's going to kick some ass.

"We have to," Jean says. "I'm not sure we could defeat the Acolytes by ourselves. We'd be outnumbered 2 to 1."

"Surely Magneto is expecting us to try," Tarot reckons.

"It is a fairly obvious bait for a trap," Domino agrees.

"Yes it is," Scott agrees. "Which is why we're going to do exactly what he expects," he says somewhat enigmatically as an idea forms in his head.

"We're goin ta walk right inta a trap?" Rogue questions. "No offence Scott but have ya lost it?"

"By doing what he expects, we do the unexpected," Scott says.

Spyke groans. "It's going to be one of _those _plans, again, isn't it," he complains. By that he means one of those classic Cyclops plans where he gets beaten up.

"I'll explain on the way," Scott says. "Rogue? You up to help?"

"Of course," Rogue assures him and everyone. "Ah mean ah have ta make up for not saving them before," she says, sounding sincerely like she means that.

"Ok. Lets go," Cyclops says.

Domino places a hand on her sister's shoulder and her expression asks the question, 'Are you alight?'

Rogue smiles back reassuringly. She hangs back to take up the rear and therefore no-one notices the evil little smile that forms on her face. _'Suckers!' _she thinks quietly to herself, making sure to keep her thoughts hidden from Jean and the Professor. For that performance she probably deserves an Oscar.

In the end it doesn't matter what brilliant plan Scott comes up with because Rogue is there to make sure they end up exactly where Magneto wants them.

Rogue follows on behind, her hips swaying in response to her happy mood.

* * *

At Scott's asking Rogue gives the directions back to where she came from...or where she thinks she came from because you know she was running so fast and didn't quite keep track and oh dear she really is the poor damsel in distress and she is trying not to laugh her ass off at the fact they are buying this.

The funniest bit of all is that a large part of Scott's plan relies on her.

Uh huh. Rogue thinks this could be a problem. She really has to stop or she will laugh and give the game away.

They enter an office that overlooks the factory floor and peer through a window that looks down on it and there tied up are the factory employees and the other X-Men, still out like lights from Rogue's drain...and Martinique may have used her psychic power of illusion to keep their minds trapped in a state that prevents them waking up until Magneto wants them awake.

"Any sign of Magneto?" Spyke asks.

"No," Scott says. Not that he expects any. It is suppose to look too tempting to ignore.

"Are you sure you don't want me to use one of my constructs?" Tarot asks. It would seem safer and simpler to her.

"That would not work, Tarot," the Professor informs her. "Magneto could simply tear apart the psionic energy they are constructed from with a magnetic field."

"Um really?" she queries. She so did not know that was possible.

"In basic terms your constructs are merely an exotic form of electromagnetic energy, easy enough for Magneto to affect."

"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, all this science talk is really interesting," Rogue says sarcastically. "Shouldn't we just get on with this?"

"I would think you'd learn patience considering," Jean critiques. Considering what has transpired so far today.

"That'll be the day," Domino mutters.

Rogue prods her sister in the shoulder.

"Ow," Domino complains as she rubs the spot. "Watch it. I mean gee, what's the matter with you? I didn't think it was that time of the month."

Rogue flicks Domino gently on the side of the head.

"Well I'll just shut my big mouth then," the monochrome mutant grumbles as she rubs that spot now.

"Ya do that."

"Lets go," Cyclops dictates and they make their way back out the office, down the corridor and through a door that opens onto a walkway round the edge of this big open space where the production line is. It's full of robots and conveyor belts and stuff. Everything you need for mass production.

The X-Men make their way down the stairs, with Jean levitating the Professor. No sign of the Acolytes still. They reach the floor and that is when they do spot someone. A girl with blond hair.

Phantazia.

She smirks, holds her hands out to the side and taps into her power. Being able to control electromagnetic energy basically means she can connect and control anything electronic. She starts up all the robots and machines and then vanishes in a green cloud.

"Amelia," Charles whispers, recognising that power.

"Changes nothing," Cyclops determines. He has a plan. What he needs is for the Acolytes to show, especially the telepath. They can't defeat the Acolytes in a fight...probably but with a surprise attack they can get Rogue to the telepath, absorb her power and with 3 telepaths combined they should at least be able to coerce some of the Acolytes into helping them.

Yeah taking over someone's mind isn't very heroic but sometimes you do what you have to to win.

The group make their way to where the others are. 5 X-Men plus Spider-Man. All tied up together in a group.

Damn. All the noise these machines make it hard to hear even your own thoughts.

They almost reach their team-mates when the machines cut off suddenly.

"Charles!" a voice echoes over a PA.

"Magneto!" Charles calls back.

"I'm very disappointed Charles."

"I don't want to fight Erik! Let us talk, please!"

"We shall talk...on my terms," Magneto says.

"What terms are those?!"

"Tha ones where ya guys are tied up and helpless," Rogue suddenly blurts out.

They all spin round to look at her.

"Boy y'all are thick," she insults them. "Because smart people would have realised tha machines were turned on ta hide tha fact you're walking on a metal grate." Rogue raises her hands and lightning arcs between her fingers. Not just Storm's power but she got a little pick-me up from Shocker too. She shoots a very cold smile before shooting powerful electric bolts into the grill beneath her feet...beneath all their feet.

With the powers she has previously absorbed to her it barely tickles but for her team-mates...sorry former team-mates...well it must really smart.

For the time before it knocks them out anyway.

It's over quickly enough. Rogue blows on her fingers in a self-satisfied manner, pleased with herself. She smiles a smile of someone who is finding this whole thing a joke that only she is getting.

Now this...this is the best time she has had in ages. God it's amazing how stupid they are she thinks to herself as she looks at them. How could they forget just how powerful and dangerous she is.

She reaches up to her shoulders and rips off the X patches. No more pretence. No more duplicity. For her the X-Men are finished.

She looks at the patches in her hands. It feels like a strait-jacket has been removed from her. No more lectures. No more being told what to do or how to think. They want to save the world? Let them try. It's a complete waste of time.

Trust her she knows. After all they couldn't even save her as it turned out now could they.

Magneto may not be the perfect answer, she's aware of that but it's a better one than carrying on at the Institute. At least Magneto is realistic...and she'll get to have much more fun in the process because she'll be able to go back to being her true self. She hasn't been allowed to be herself for too long.

Rogue takes a deep cleansing breath. She feels light and free. This is a new start for her life. The life she wants to lead and it's about dang time!

* * *

_Author's Note: I did have to have a think about what to do with the Brotherhood. Really in the end there was no choice but to let them go. That one prototype wasn't going to be enough to actually hold them properly and in the end it just goes on to show that there is a good point about why this technology requires to be made. __Rogue slips into the role of evil villain quite easily and naturally doesn't she. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; while Rogue justifies herself Magneto reveals his plan._


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Magneto and the Acolytes appear in a mist thanks to Amelia a short distance away from where Rogue stands amongst her fallen, now former, team-mates.

"Excellent work, Rogue," Magneto commends her.

Frenzy even goes as far as patting Rogue on the shoulder and she rarely shows this sort of warmth to anyone but she was damn impressed. "It's so good to see a real professional join the team unlike some other people I can mention."

"Gambit?" Rogue cheekily suggests courtesy of her previous experiences of meeting him where he annoyed her no end.

"You wound me Cher," Gambit says back with a hangdog look

"Don't call me that!" Rogue snaps. "Ah told ya before that ah ain't your Cher, ya dang egotistical Swamp Rat!"

Frenzy grins. Oh yeah. She thinks she might like having Rogue on the team.

"Tie up our guests before they wake," Magneto orders.

"Ah think ah know a quick way," Rogue proposes as she walks over to Spider-Man, pulls his gloves off and slips his webshooters off his wrists. She slips one on and using Peter's memories duplicates the motion required to activate them making a webline squirt out. "We can use these."

"I can see you will be a big benefit to our cause," Magneto has to once again praise her.

The X-Men are soon tied up and now it is a question of waiting for them to wake up. Rogue didn't actually know what Magneto was planning really. She could guess he was going to destroy this place but wanted a few words with the Professor first.

No skin off Rogue's nose.

He can do what he wants.

Rogue knows the questions she'll get asked as soon as her now former friends awaken. How did it come to this? How did this even start? Why, Rogue, why?

Rogue will answer them. Oh yeah she will. They have to hear. They have to see what she sees. How this is what she had to do. She doesn't hate them. Not at all. She has no wish to see them badly hurt. In fact she wishes, hopes that at least a couple will join her in making the same choice.

Until they wake Rogue has some free time. She looks at the webshooters on her wrists and smiles as an idea comes to her. She takes a leap, shoots a webline off and performs some aerial acrobatics through the large space.

* * *

**Outskirts of Metropolis...**

To Clark's mild surprise the Brotherhood have actually been keeping their word as he, Bart and Andrea watch them walk away slowly from the city to...wherever. Probably somewhere to wait to be picked up or just away from them before Haze, assuming she's up to it, teleports them away and this is why Clark is in favour of the power inhibition technology. Considering the crimes some of those people have committed they should be in jail except no jail can currently hold them.

The sooner they get this inhibition technology going the better.

The sooner they get a lead on Patricia's whereabouts the better.

It cheesed Clark off that they went through that whole fight, people got hurt to varying degrees and nothing. No clue as to where Patricia is.

"So do we leave?" Bart wants to know.

"Not yet," Clark decides. "We have to be sure they don't try anything...but I suppose we can go to Metropolis. As long as we're near Star Labs I can keep an eye out in case they break their word."

"Telescopic vision, right?" Andrea guesses since he has mentioned that power to her before.

"It's handy," he proclaims with a goofy grin.

"Is there anything you can't do?"

"I can never get the damn soufflé to rise," he quips.

"Dude. I'm right there," Bart joins in.

"Ugh. I'm in hell," Andrea mutters at being stuck with these two.

"That's harsh. Don't you remember all the fun times we had?" Clark reminds her.

"Yeah," Bart says in agreement. "Señorita, I'm dangerously close to thinking you don't like me," he adds, his lower lip wobbling.

Andrea turns on her heels and starts heading back towards the city. "Next time I'm letting the Brotherhood squish you. Don't call me!"

"Was it something we said?" Clark asks after her, sounding clueless.

"Well you maybe," Bart says. "I, on the other hand, always say the right thing."

"And always do exactly the wrong thing."

"Dude you're not suppose to tell people that," Bart complains in mock horror.

"Oops," Clark says with a teasing grin before he chases after Andrea with Bart tagging along.

* * *

**Deep within the Appalachian Mountains, Virginia...**

Spider-Man awakens with a groan. "Did anyone catch the number of the Rhino that hit me?"

"The only big grey force here is the one of betrayal I'm afraid," Beast, who has been awake a few minutes longer, answers the question.

Spider-Man frowns...until it comes back to him. "Rogue."

"And she is enjoying your powers it seems."

Spider-Man looks around and spots her swinging around, using his webshooters. He fidgets and realises he is not tied but chained, big heavy chains. Even if he wasn't he feels wiped. He would have a hard time breaking them under normal circumstances. As it stands he doesn't think he could lift a freakin paper-clip right now. He turns his head and gauges where they're at. It's not good. Most of them are now awake but either chained up or stuck using what appears to be his own webbing and they are being watched over, under guard, by the Acolytes. Next to him Kitty is still out, her head drooped down. "Shadowcat," he whispers in worry.

"We're keeping her asleep."

Spider-Man's head snaps up to gaze upon a brunette woman.

Martinique explains. "Due to her intangibility we obviously can't let her wake up but otherwise she's fine. I promise you."

"And I'm just suppose to take the word of someone who has me chained up?"

Martinique smirks. "The last guy didn't complain. He also enjoyed it when I spanked him for being naughty."

"Yeah. My poor innocent brain is unaware of such things."

Martinique chuckles. "I'm a telepath and I know you're lying. I'm getting a woman with white hair and a fetish for black leather."

Spider-Man makes himself think of something else and for once finds himself a little lost for words as his cheeks burn red under his mask. At least they haven't removed it but with Rogue's apparent defection his secret identity is in danger...not that that's the most important thing right now. "So what you getting out of this?"

"Oh. You wish to talk?" Martinique asks, an eyebrow ached.

"Talking is sort of my thing. I'm like the Mohammed Ali of smack talk."

"Actually," Rogue's voice buts in as she flips mid-air and lands next to Martinique. "You're more lahke Freud's postah child for neurosis." She smiles broadly. "By tha way these things are awesome!" she declares, holding up Spider-Man's webshooters. "And ah know exactly how ya made them and how ya make tha webfluid. Ah think ah'll keep them. Hope ya don't mind."

"No. I don't mind at all," Spider-Man drawls sarcastically.

"Rogue. What are you doing?" That question comes from her sister.

Rogue smirks.

Peter blinks. There. That smirk. Again it's triggering his memory. Where has he seen that before? It's frustrating. He knows he's seen it but can't quite recall it. Where, where, where?

Rogue walks over...in fact she positively swaggers over to where her sister is webbed up.

Domino's blue eyes narrow and fix upon Rogue's green ones. This...what the hell!

"What am ah doing sis?" Rogue asks disrespectfully, her expression one of great amusement.

"Yeah. I think that's a fair question."

"Ah'm doing what you're too gutless ta do," Rogue accuses. "Ya see y'all talk big about not wishing ta see this technology created but look at what side y'all are on. Ya betrayed meh, sis."

Domino looks at Rogue in complete disbelief. "Bullshit!" she says in denial. "I've done nothing but stand with you."

Rogue scoffs. "Remember when Betsy came."

"I told you that I'd support you."

"Then ya qualified it by pointing out ya have ta support your students and that is when ah got it. Ya claim we're family but ya put them above meh."

Domino hates to think this but she seriously thinks Rogue is having a psychotic breakdown.

"I don't zhink you answered zhe question of vhy."

Rogue smiles at that voice. "Hiya bro! How ya hanging?!"

"Vhy Rogue?" Kurt asks the question, his face showing clearly the shock of this and the hurt and sting of his own sister's betrayal. Also he is so wiped out by Rogue's drain he can't access his teleportation powers which do require a lot of energy. That or it's the telepath because his brain feels fuzzy, like he can't quite concentrate fully.

"Ya want ta know a truth Kurt. Being an X-Man has nevah been a good fit. Don't get meh wrong. At tha tahme tha Brotherhood was a worst one but choosing tha least bad of 2 bad choices is not a good way ta live a life. I'll admit some of it wasn't bad. In fact ah was happy for a short tahme but tha ill-fit nevah went away. Then of course we come to this latest insanity," she gestures at everything around them. "Ah told y'all tahme and again how stupid an idea this was but not a single one of ya listened. In fact apart from Clark none of y'all even asked meh about mah feelings. Sure he thinks tha opposite ta meh but at least he made a little effort. Can y'all say tha same?" she asks them.

"So this gives you an excuse to betray us?" That question comes from an angry sounding Cyclops.

Rogue tilts her head, places a finger to her chin and makes a pose like she's thinking on it. "Pretty much, yes. Ya see _Scottie_," she says his name mockingly. "How can ah carry on being an X-Man when ah don't agree with tha direction we're heading in? That's hypocrisy on mah part."

"Ya also said ya wouldn't walk out," Scott reminds her.

"True," Rogue accepts. "But this isn't walking out. This is defecting ta tha othah side. Besides don't fret so much. Magneto has promised none of y'all will beh harmed...well not too badly anyway. It was part of mah conditions for joining. Ah'm not a monstah Scott. Ah'm just doing what has ta beh done ta protect us all."

"Nicely put," Martinique congratulates her words.

"Why is Jean still out then?" Scott wants to know.

"Oh ah absorbed her while she was out," Rogue explains that. "Can't have that pesky telekinesis of hers breaking ya guys free now can we?" Rogue chuckles. "Ya know it use ta beh a real strain ta have so many powahs, so many minds at once but mah enhancements make it much easier now," she comments. "Ah can also hang on ta tha powahs for longah. Nifty huh?"

"You're out of your mind," Domino retorts.

"That a professional opinion sis?"

"Yeah. I know crazy. I lived with it for months when I was Stryker's little wound-up toy solider and this is crazy Rogue. This isn't you."

"Lahke any of y'all know meh," Rogue comes close to snapping in anger. "Ah'm sorry Dom but ya really don't know meh and ah'm sorry ya don't see why ah have ta do this. Ah really hope one day ya do and if ya do ah'll welcome ya back as mah sister with open arms but ah'm afraid your biggest flaw is that while ya talk and ya talk about disagreeing with tha Professor your actions tell a different story. Your loyalty is ta your _precious _students and not ta your family. Ya need ta get your priorities straight."

"Like you?" Storm asks.

"Yes, actually."

"Rogue, child, what has happened to you?" Storm asks, truly lost at this.

"Don't try and give meh tha psuedo-parent routine Storm," Rogue warns the white-haired woman off. "Ya are not mah mothah."

"Very well," Storm accepts. "And what do I tell Logan?" she asks about Rogue's father, trying to see if she can garner a reaction from the teen.

Rogue manages to school her features well to hide her feelings. "He'll understand why ah'm doing this but lahke Dom he currently has misplaced loyalty issues."

"You know it's really hard to keep liking you when you keep insulting me," Dom complains.

"Truth hurts, sis."

"What truth would that be?"

"This is what has ta beh done. This technology has ta beh destroyed and Magneto is tha only one ah know for certain would do it. Our aims align. Tha Professor has lost his way. His dream is real nice in theory but ah'm a realist by nature. If we don't stand and fight for our place in this world we're doomed."

And that sounds very much like Magneto's pitch.

"There is nothing we can say that will shift you is there?" Tarot asks. She knows belief and loyalty and the difference to simply what is selfish convenience to elevate yourself. She saw it all the time as part of the Hellions.

"Nope. And by tha way Marie, did ya nevah see this coming?" Rogue wonders, gazing at the French girl.

"You know my foresight is being blocked...but I know this much. The darkness that is coming will consume your new boss and it will consume you. When that moment comes your future will come to depend on the friends you so casually have tossed aside."

For a moment doubt creeps onto Rogue's face before she shakes it away. "Whatevah. Sounds awful precise for someone who is blind."

"I didn't see it. It's more a feeling."

"Well then ah'll remember ta repent all mah sins before then," Rogue says with that irritating smirk.

"Where's the Professor and Banshee?" Cyclops wants to know.

"Magneto wanted a chat with them in private. You know old friends catching up or something. Sorry Beast, ah guess ya don't count."

"I'm certain the disappointment will crush me...at some point," Beast drawls dryly.

Rogue chuckles at his joke. "Ya know ah will miss ya Mr McCoy," she says honestly.

"I will miss you as well Rogue. I do hope one day you will see the truth and return."

"Ah wouldn't hold your breath," Rogue warns. "Anyway don't worry. This will beh ovah soon so relax guys. It's gonna beh fun!" she says with a manic grin.

Under his mask Peter has the strongest flashback...

_This was not the best day Peter Parker aka Spider-Man had ever had. He was in the dungeon of the Hellfire Club chained up in titanium chains and even he couldn't break them. Clark had fallen to the darkside or something, set them up to be captured and here he was now, all alone. Where the others were Peter wasn't sure._

_Then the door opens and in swaggers Clark. _"_Aw man they forgot to gag you!" he jokily complains. "I warned them about that." He sniggers. "Actually no. I didn't. I wanted them to experience that classic Spidey smack-talk!"_

"_So what is this?" Peter asks. "Not that I couldn't lay a hundred Star Wars references on ya but really, what is this?"_

_Clark chuckles. "This my dear Spidey is all brilliantly going to plan."_

"_Huh?" Spider-Man asks._

_Clark sighs, walks over and begins to snap the chains holding Peter while he explains the whole set-up he is playing on the Inner Circle and that while he keeps them distracted Peter retrieves the stone in the vault. He explains that the Sage woman is actually a spy and they have a plan worked out for how the X-Men and himself and Peter all escape._

"_Um yeah, ok," Spider-Man says, seeing how that might work. "But you know I don't exactly blend in."_

_Clark snaps his fingers, blurs out and comes back with a knocked-out guard. "Lets play dress up!" he proposes, his actions and expression one of mania._

_Ok Peter really needs the story behind this. It's almost like Clark is a different person._

_Clark places a hand on Peter's shoulder and with a manic grin declares, "Relax Pete. It's gonna be fun!"_

Peter blinks.

O.M.G.

That smirk. That look. That almost manic energy. Not quite as strong or prevalent but that's it! Peter's figured it out.

Rogue absorbed Clark. Peter knows the story. Kitty told him it. He can't be certain this is the same as in this is some trick or ploy. He can't know how it's influencing her. She may not be even aware it's happening to her but he remembers what Kitty said about her. More rebellious, more independent, even more selfish and more arrogant could be applied.

Peter isn't sure how this has happened. Psychology ain't his strong point. However he's certain he's right.

What has happened to Rogue?

Clark's selfish, arrogant alter ego. It's him. Peter knows it's him. He can now see it in her face as clear as day.

So to sum the cause of all this can be done in a single word.

Kal.

* * *

In one of the offices Magneto has his captive audience of the Professor and Banshee.

"Sean. I was not aware you had rejoined Charles," Magneto has to deal with this first. He was genuinely surprised. Last he heard about Sean he was on Muir Island.

"Well ye know me, Magnus. Always looking for th' next challenge," Sean says with that innate optimistic attitude of his, which is quite some feat when you're tied to a chair in chains and your powers have been drained out of you.

"I am actually pleased to see you. How is your daughter?"

"Wasn't aware ye kept tags on me," Sean comments that Magnus knows about Terry. She wasn't born until long after they had gone their separate ways.

"I hear things," Magneto explains that vaguely.

"She's fine," Sean decides to give an answer. "Takes after me if ye must know."

"Hmm, not necessarily a good thing, Sean," Magneto dead-pans.

"Ah, I missed yer humour," Sean says insincerely.

"I assume she is attending Charles' Institute. She must be gifted."

"Like I said. She takes after me."

Magneto gets it. She has inherited his powers.

"And yerself. Ye have 3 children I hear," Sean turns it back on Magneto.

"I do. The youngest takes after me," Magneto says back in the same manner and meaning as Sean said it.

"Th' girl in th' green armour," Sean guesses from noting the similarity in costume of the green haired girl.

"Lorna...but she goes by Polaris now."

"Met her sister. She is not fond of ye," Seam mentions in reference to Wanda.

"We are currently estranged," Magneto says, his voice tight.

"Is that th' term we're going with?"

"It is. I assume it would be pointless to ask you to join me."

"What? Over this inhibition technology? Who do you think suggested we trial it with th' police?"

Magneto shakes his head. Of course. He should have figured. He turns his attention to his old friend Charles. "This is utterly foolishness Charles. This is a betrayal of your own people."

"Do you think I made this choice easily Erik? I spent many a night awake torturing myself over it and I will discuss it with you if you desire but first I want to know what you have done to Rogue," Charles demands an answer. He simply cannot fathom what has come over the girl. They had been issues, certainly but nothing that can possibly justify this act of betrayal.

"I have done nothing to the girl. You pushed her into this, Charles," Magneto accuses with a hard tone. "She contacted me using the memories she previously absorbed from me though she did not explain what it was that made her do this until after your press conference. I can assume now it must have been shortly after you started developing this technology she decided she could no longer stay. You want a person to blame Charles, I suggest you look in a mirror."

The Professor doesn't think Magneto is lying. He certainly believes what he is saying. Still to Charles it doesn't make sense. He wishes he could talk to Rogue. Find out what it is he has missed that he never saw this coming. "I will take you word for the moment. Now may I ask where is Patricia Swan?"

"She's...my honoured guest currently," Magneto phrases it as.

"And she's free to leave when she pleases, right?" Sean says sarcastically.

"She shall be...once she is better."

Charles and Sean share a worried look. "What do you mean, better, Erik?" Charles wants to know.

"Evolved, elevated, like us."

Charles is appalled. "You haven't!" he splutters in outrage.

"Haven't?" Magneto seeks clarification.

"I know you have a machine that uses the meteor rocks to create and enhance mutants."

Magneto looks forensically at Charles. How did he learn of that?

"Erik, how could you?" Charles asks truly not believing what his old friend has done...and Patricia. He can only imagine the fear and panic she must be enduring right now and worst of all he can't do a damn thing to stop any of it.

"Once she's one of us she'll realise her mistake in aiding the creation of this technology."

"Do you think she'll forgive you for what you done?"

"She will be angry at first, no doubt. I'm prepared for that. Once she calms down and comes to understand the great gift I have bestowed upon her, her mind will be much more open to our cause."

That's a twisted logic if Charles ever heard one. While he is still angry over Patricia he parks it for the moment to attack Erik's thinking from another angle. "Erik do you think we're the only ones that have it? You know, or must suspect at least, that others do or are creating it."

"I keep an eye on the situation. Rest assured after today anyone who tries to develop it will learn of the consequences of trying to enslave mutantkind. I will be sending a message no-one can ignore."

"That wasn't what it was about," Charles debates.

"I know you probably think that, Charles but it is. You give this technology to humans you reduce us to a slave race. Have you even realised how far you have fallen from your own ideals, Charles? From living in equality with humans to aiding their enslavement of us."

"At least I don't look at them and assume all they have in their hearts is hate and prejudice."

"You should. It's a much safer starting point."

"It's about equality under the law."

"Yes, Ms Swan tried that argument upon me already and I suspect we'll have it again as I help her adjust to her new status."

"Erik, even if you had your perfect world, technology like this would be required. How else would you punish criminals...and don't try and serve me a line about mutants being pure and different. I'm an optimist and even I don't buy that there wouldn't be a criminal element."

"The difference is Charles that the technology would be controlled by us and not in the hands of humans," Magneto argues, not denying Charles' point.

"It's always th' same argument isn't it," Sean says wearisome sounding. "Us and them. They cannot be trusted. They seek our annihilation."

"Correct on both counts. I will never allow humans to have this technology!"

"They already have it! Stryker had it!" Charles says, getting a little irate.

"And he and his ilk shall be dealt with in the course of time."

"Erik, I know you'll never agree with me over this but I am trying to wrestle some legal control over the technology. I'm trying to show that humans and mutants can live in a society where the law applies to all."

"You waste your time pandering to them, Charles. They no longer matter. Their civilisation is in its death throes. What matters is how we survive this period of their inevitable decline because if there is one thing that history teaches is that humans never go quietly. They always leave the ground soaked in blood and as they see their end coming they will attempt to take mutants with them out of their petty jealousy."

Charles sighs. "You know I don't agree."

"Yes," Magneto says sadly. "It always saddens me, Charles that we must remain apart but we can never agree. They're not worth saving, Charles," he says in reference to humanity.

"Even if I agreed with you, which I don't, a war you can't win is not the solution."

"What happened to being an optimist?"

"Nothing comes out of war but death, destruction and ruin."

"Absolutely correct but it is inevitable. The humans will strike at us. It is only a matter of time and then you will see I am correct. For the moment what I intend to do is to give them a message loud and clear that when that day comes there will be a price and there are consequences. I will show to them clearly that any move against mutantkind, even the attempt to create this technology is an unacceptable act of aggression."

"And how do ye plan t' do that?" Sean asks.

"I'll show you. That's why you're still here."

"Erik," Charles tries to protest.

"This debate is over Charles. My mind is made up. Now come," he says and with a gesture of his hand lifts Banshee up by the chains around him and lifts the Professor's wheelchair off the ground. He carries them as they all make their way back to rejoin the other prisoners.

Magneto stops at Tarot, her appearance catching his attention momentarily. He walks over to her and examines her closely. "We've met before," he says recognising her. He has a good memory for faces. "China. You were working for the Hellfire Club."

"J'ai démissionné. Différence d'opinion," Tarot responds.

"She said she resigned. Difference of opinion," Rogue translates.

"Well it's a step up if not a step in the right direction necessarily," Magneto reflects his view.

Rogue chuckles softly. "Il est en fait juste pour que vous pourriez obtenir dans le pantalon de Claire n'est-ce pas, Marie?"

That makes Gambit chuckle. Rogue basically accused Marie that she did it to get into Claire's pants.

"Et dont le pantalon avez-vous plus bas de sorte que vous pouvez vendre vos principes, Rogue?"(And whose pants did you lower so you could sell out your principles, Rogue?)

Rogue retorts with a lazy sounding, "Principes? Qu'est-ce que c'est?"(Principles? What are those?)

"That's enough," Magneto cuts it short. He then address them all. "Now that I have your undivided attention."

A few of the Acolytes snicker because that was so true and hey they didn't even have to raise one tiny finger in offence to achieve this victory.

Magneto ignores his snickering charges and continues. "You are here to help me deliver a message. Now this is not the most appropriate place to do that. Far too remote so we will be relocating to a more...prominent place so no-one can miss what I have to say."

"You can't expect us to co-operate," Cyclops points out.

"You already have just by being here. That's all I needed. For you to chase me and you played out your part so well," Magneto compliments them, knowing it will sting. "Now, I must concede that this is an impressive facility, built here without anyone's knowledge. Has a flaw in it's construction though. They used steel reinforced concrete."

"Magneto you can't!" Charles protests as he figures out what Magneto means and is planning to do.

"Oh but I can. Acolytes, watch them. I shall need all my concentration," he commands as he closes his eyes and reaches out with his powers.

"Uh, what is he doing?" Spider-Man asks.

Beast has also figured it out and replies, "Magneto can control metal and he's about to take control of the metal this very facility is constructed from."

"And what? Lift us into the air for the whole world to see?" Spider-Man quips.

There is no laughter in reply. Only an expression of deep worry on Beast's face which tells Peter he hit the nail on the head.

"Can-can he do zhat?" Kurt asks, his teleportation powers still not returned yet or he would be out of his bonds.

"Yes. He can," the Professor says grimly.

The whole structure begins to shake and creak.

"Uh, is this a good idea?" Rogue asks.

"You look worried, Rogue," Domino says, her voice cold and lacking any warmth one might associate with talking to their sister but for her the sting of betrayal runs much deeper than most. Her life was ruined by Stryker and she had just about created herself a new one. Family, friends, a purpose beyond being some weapon. She has stood with Rogue every step of the way and how does she get repaid for all of that? Well look at her now, webbed up and get your answer.

"Not part of the plan...or didn't he tell you?" Storm asks, she too stung by the betrayal. What is she going to tell Logan? He's going to be so hurt by this. Ororo feels anger for him.

"Ah must admit ah forgot ta ask," Rogue confesses...and then shrugs her shoulders like it doesn't matter. "But whatevah it is ah'm sure it's goin ta beh entertaining."

Yep. That sounds so like Kal which only reinforces Peter's working theory. He only wishes he knew how he could use it to help get out of this. That is the question he is trying to figure out as the facility shakes harder and slowly, very slowly, a feeling of upward motion begins.

They're moving.

* * *

Outside the mountain under which this facility is buried the x-jet is on it's final approach. Logan had been pushing it as hard as he dared because there was still no contact. They were weakened. Tabby and Ray were both still a little groggy and Roberto's knee was quite bad, not to mention his powers were basically used up and Logan didn't have Clark or Bart to help but if the X-Men were in trouble they needed to help so weakened or not they were here.

Sam, in the co-pilot's seat, leans forward. "Um...is it meh or is that mountain moving?"

Logan activates an external camera on the jet and zooms in as the image appears on a small screen and yes the mountain was moving. It was...bulging outward and thousands of tons of rocks were being pushed away causing landslides.

Logan winces as the Velocity vanishes under a stampede of rubble. That's going to cost them a pretty penny to fix.

There is almost an explosion as something bursts out of the mountain. As the dirt and rocks fall away it becomes clear to see it is a concrete structure of a few stories in height and bigger than a couple of football fields in length and width.

All those within the x-jet feel the jaws drop.

"That's the factory isn't it?" Siryn asks.

"That would be my guess," Logan says.

"It's moving away in a straight line," Volcana notices.

"Hayseed, can you project where it's going?" Logan wonders.

"Sure. Give meh a minute," Sam says as he uses the equipment aboard the x-jet. He's passed the simulator on it but has never actually been on the real thing for a mission. "Ut oh," he remarks.

"Ut oh? What do fucking mean by ut oh?" Volcana demands to know, her temper shortening by the second out of worry for her girlfriend.

Sam's news is grim. "Assuming it doesn't change direction it's current course is a direct line for...Washington DC."

* * *

_Author's Note: Of course it's Kal's influence. Had to be really. Now what anyone can do about it is an entirely different matter. And Washington? Wow, when Magneto chooses a prominent place to make a point he really chooses a doozy. As for is this beyond Magneto to do, lifting the factory you do have to remember this is a man who was able to seize control of the entire Earth's Magnetic field and threatened to collapse it when blackmailing the world once. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Magneto's in the ascendency. Is it too late to stop him? And what fate has fallen Patricia Swann?_


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

"He's planning to hit the Capital?" Bobby asks. "You know there are easier ways to go about seeing the sights," he jokes.

"I don't think that would be Magneto's plan, ice-cube," Logan growls.

"The X-Men?" Sam asks after.

"Probably inside," would be Logan's guess...or at least he hopes so because if they weren't inside they were just crushed under a literal mountain. "Because it's obvious they failed to stop Magneto they're probably being used as hostages so we don't risk attacking him where he would drop that," he reasons...and yes Logan can reason. He just chooses not to very often.

"But if he drops it in populated Washington...?" Siryn theorises the terrible possibilities.

"We'll have to shoot it down before then," Logan determines. They'll have no choice. "First we have to attempt a rescue."

With that Logan flies over the structure looking for the best way in.

* * *

Inside, despite the strain and concentration on the singular structure and holding it together, Magneto can still manage to sense the unique signature that comes from adamantium. It can only be Wolverine. "It seems the cavalry has arrived," he jokes dryly. "Polaris. I need you to take care of this."

Lorna looks surprised and tries to hide it...badly.

"I need to concentrate. Just take control of the aircraft and make it land. You can do this," he tries to assure her.

"I...it would help if I could see them," Lorna says, not quite experienced enough to trust just her magnetic senses.

"Ah can take her," Rogue offers. "Plus ah have experience of magnetic powers. Ah can...give her advice. Plus ah have Jean's telekinetic powers ta help," she gives a short list of reasons it should be her.

All good reasons, Magneto must confess. Still he isn't not that foolish to leave Rogue alone with his daughter. "Colossus. Accompany them. That's not open for debate." Colossus because Magneto has leverage over the Russian and Lorna trusts him as a friend and in return Magneto has observed Piotr seems to return the friendship.

"As you wish," Colossus agrees, never sounding overly enthused because he isn't.

"Fahne, whatevah," Rogue says sounding a little irritated that she isn't being trusted. The 3 gather close and Rogue takes each by the arm and through a combination of Jean's telekinesis and Kitty's phasing power the 3 sail right through the ceiling until they reach the outside and stand atop the floating structure. "Right then, tahme ta do your thing princess," she says to Polaris.

Polaris takes a breath and centres her powers. She reaches out toward the jet and as she does so she feels a presence in her mind.

"_Relax," _Rogue telepathically says, using Jean's power. _"Ah'm just here ta help ya. Ah've got your fathah's knowledge and experience in mah head."_

Lorna isn't sure whether that's a good thing or just creepy but pushes her thoughts aside and lets Rogue help. She touches the jet...and then can feel Rogue twist some telekinesis round her magnetism and together they seize control of it.

* * *

"Is that Rogue?" Sam asks about 1 of the 3 figures that have appeared atop the structure.

Logan zooms in with the camera and is shocked to see it is Rogue standing with the girl in...what appear to be a green version of Magneto's armour and Colossus. Next thing he knows is feeling the pull on his metal bones, the jet starts to behave erratically and the controls start to go crazy and short out.

"What's happening?!" Bobby wants to know.

"They've hijacked the jet," Logan growls.

"We're going to die? I'm too pretty to die!" Bobby wails.

"We're going down!" Sam cries. "Y'all better hang on!"

The x-jet dives down toward the ground, hitting it hard but not so hard to be fatal. It carves out a trench as it gouges out the earth and comes to a stop.

* * *

Atop the concrete structure Rogue remarks, striking an almost annoyingly, and for her unusually so, cheerful tone, "There. Wasn't so hard now was it."

Polaris feels...well not guilt...or is it? Whatever it is she didn't want to have to do that but they forced her hand. If they had stayed out of the way she wouldn't have had to do that.

Colossus is his usual stoic self, hating himself continuously for having to work for a madman.

* * *

Down in the crashed x-jet there are several groans from several banged-up people but otherwise they are alright.

"Fucking little..." Volcana spills into a litany of curse words. A couple of which even Logan is unfamiliar with. He'll have to remember them.

"Ok can anyone tell me what that was about?" Tabby wants to know...and this by the way is not good for her. She was already semi-concussed. She doesn't need crashing to the ground added to it. "Anyone?"

"Yeah," Ray says in the same condition of Tabby. "Was that Rogue...helping them?"

Logan snaps his head round at Berzerker and snarls.

"I'm just saying what it looked like!" Ray says defensively.

"He's right, Logan," Sam comes to Ray's rescue. "It is what it looked like."

"Could be mind-control?" Roberto offers.

"Then that means the X-Men are beaten," Siryn makes the conclusion. "Because Jean and the Professor would never allow that."

"English, can you sense anything?" Logan wants to know.

Betsy takes a minute to regain her faculties and reaches out with her telepathy only to hit a wall.

"_Nice try, sugah but y'all ain't goin' ta get anywhere that way,"_ comes the response in the form of a telepathic message from Rogue.

"Rogue's blocking me," Betsy reports. "She must have stolen either Jean's or the Professor's power."

Logan looks more confused. What the hell is going on?!

"What the hell is going on?!" Tabby says out loud...and it takes a moment to realise she isn't talking about but Rogue but pointing at Betsy.

Betsy suddenly finds everyone looking at her. "What?" she asks.

"Your hair," Tabby says. "It's...it's...you're blond!" she cries.

Betsy pulls a strand of her hair down in front of her eyes and looks at it carefully. It is blond. "Hey. What happened to the dye?" she asks anyone in a complaint.

"You're blond?" Bobby asks, bemused.

"What? You thought I was naturally purple?" Betsy asks acerbically. "Ok, yes I'm naturally blond," she is forced to admit although damn if she knows what has happened to her hair.

"Why did you change it?" Roberto asks.

"Because I bleeding well wanted to! That good enough reason!" Betsy snaps Roberto's head off.

Roberto nods in response.

Logan grins a little at the feisty English girl as he turns his attentions to the state of the x-jet. He presses a few buttons, flips a few switches and bangs on it in frustration. Nothing. "It's completely fried!" he shouts in anger. "There's no communications."

"So we can't call Clark for help," Volcana realises. "Sam and I could go after them. We fly," she proposes.

"You'd be outnumbered and have no idea what you're flying into," Siryn makes the tactical assessment...too many years hanging around her father. "And also I fly too."

"You glide," Volcana corrects her. "And you don't move fast enough to catch them."

"She has a point," Sam agrees. "And so do you Siryn," he adds being diplomatic about it. "Not sure it's wise for just the two of us to go Claire," he cautions.

"We're not exactly brimming with options at the fucking minute," Volcana points out

"We are getting our asses kicked," Ray comments. "This is just like last summer with the Sentinels. We seem to be completely outmanoeuvred. We are so screwed."

"Can it sparky!" Logan barks, not wanting to hear talk like that.

"Me and Sam? Yes? No?" Volcana asks Logan. "They're only getting further away," she prompts for a quick decision.

"Ah'm willing ta take tha risk," Sam decides, despite his worries, having given it a moment's thought.

"Go," Logan permits but he is not sure whether it is wise.

Sam and Claire move over to the side hatch and manage to force it open and then they are off into the sky after the floating factory.

* * *

"We have company," Colossus reports as he spots the glowing trails from both mutants as they fly.

Rogue spots it and groans. "Ah forgot they don't know when ta give up. Ah got this." And with that her eyes white over as she taps into Storm's powers. Clouds roll in and darken quickly. The wind picks up and out of the thick clouds funnels start to descend toward the ground as Rogue creates a series of twisters between themselves and the two flying mutants chasing them. "Lets see them get through that," she declares.

"Uh, isn't that dangerous?" Polaris asks.

"Ah'm only planning ta scare them off," Rogue claims.

Chasing them Cannonball and Volcana struggle against the sheer-force of the winds.

"Ah'm goin' ta guess this is Rogue's work!" Sam has to shout to Volcana to be heard above the roar of the wind.

"Is the bitch out of her fucking mind?!"

"At this point ah'm goin' ta have ta go with a yes!"

Cannonball and Volcana weave their way through the twisters trying to gain some ground until the edge of one clips the flame-haired girl and catches her in its grip.

"Volcana!" Sam yells as he abruptly has to double back and tries to judge how to catch her without getting caught himself in the forces. Even if he propels himself like a rocket there are limits to the forces he can endure. He can't break the rules of aerodynamics. Thank many painful, very painful, DR sessions for teaching him that. "Grab for my hand!" he shouts to her as he reaches for her.

Volcana tries to resist the pull and reach for Sam's hand. She grabs for it and keeps...just...missing.

Sam moves in closer and their hands grab each other...only for Sam to be yanked down with Volcana. The start spinning round and round, caught in the vortex, heading downward at immense speed.

It isn't long before they can't tell which way is up or down.

Then just as suddenly the twister dissipates and Sam and Volcana manage to gain awareness just in time and manage a rough, rather bumpy and sore landing.

They lie on the ground gasping for breath.

"Any landing you can walk away from and all that shit," Volcana says between breaths.

Sam nods, rises to his feet and helps Volcana up. The skies have cleared but now they have no idea where they are or which way the factory went. They're all turned around and basically lost. Sam thinks that perhaps, just perhaps, that was the plan all along.

* * *

"There we go. Problem solved," Rogue declares, satisfied with her work, to her two current companions.

Lorna blinks. "That was...awesome!" she declares with a sudden burst of childish glee.

Rogue grins. "Ah know, right! Ah don't usually boast about mah awesomeness but sometahmes ya just have ta proclaim it ta tha world!"

"So you can just copy anyone's power?" Lorna asks.

"If ah touch them skin ta skin, yeah and ah retain them for awhile, depending on how much ah absorb. It always fades away eventually except for mah strength. That's...different."

"Different how?" Lorna asks curiously.

"Now is not tha tahme for that story. We should get ya back ta your father."

"Ok," Lorna agrees. "But it was pretty awesome, right Peter?" she asks Colossus.

"It was...interesting," Colossus says stoically.

Lorna rolls her eyes. "A little enthusiasm wouldn't kill you, you know," she complains at him. Yeah she likes him as her friend but he's awful dour much of the time. "Come on, Petey," she pleads with him.

Colossus sighs. "May I point out we don't actually know what Magneto is planning to or where we're going."

"Wow you're lahke a total buzzkill man," Rogue jests, in a mock hippy impression.

Lorna giggles.

Colossus folds his arms across his chest and looks at the two girls with a firm expression.

Rogue rolls her eyes. "We probably should get back," she decides. She places her one hand each on Polaris' and Colossus' shoulder and phases them down back inside. As they go Rogue does wonder where they are going. Magneto had made some vague mention of sending a message. She wonders what kind of message he means.

* * *

**Washington DC...**

It doesn't matter what time of night it is. When a huge concrete structure is suddenly dumped on the White House lawn it gets noticed.

Magneto meant it to be.

Now he and the Acolytes stand atop the structure, helicopters swirling overhead, armed men rushing into protect their beloved elected President...well ok he's not actually home but the building always has a ton of security around it and yet despite that Magneto still managed to get all the way through it.

"Homo Sapiens and their guns," Magneto says with disgust. "Polaris you know what I want. Please attend to it," he orders his daughter, having briefed her shortly after they landed.

"Yes, Father," Polaris says with a nod. "Rogue, Colossus, with me," she says.

This time it's easy for Rogue. She can simply use her brother's power as she teleports Polaris and Colossus away in the signature puff of blue smoke. Magneto disarms all the men trying to come near the structure while the Acolytes create a secure perimeter around their leader.

The 3 mutants appear outside the fence. Polaris disarms a few police officers nearby while Rogue and Colossus grab what Magneto wanted. A news crew. Once they have a good one they teleport back.

"Are you live on air?" Magneto demands to know.

The cameraman nods, terrified out of his mind.

"Excellent. Then I have a message to deliver." Magneto looks directly into the camera. "Citizens of the Planet Earth. It has been awhile since last I spoke. I am Magneto. Leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. A couple of days ago Professor Charles Xavier announced the development of so-called inhibition technology. Let me tell you what it was. It was enslavement technology and I shall not tolerate its existence. This structure I stand upon was a factory where these instruments of slavery were to be created. Now it is a ruin, placed here at the centre of your government as a message...and a warning. Anyone who develops this technology can expect a visit from myself. Next time anyone who attempts to create this technology will receive no mercy. I will always fight to defend my people against any form of attack. We are not your slaves. We are your superiors. Heed my words and deeds today and you shall find that your lives are substantially longer and more peaceful. Don't heed me...well look what lies beneath my feet." Magneto signs off with his tone dire in its hardness and finality. "This is your only warning."

With that he signals to Amelia who teleports the group away in her green cloud.

* * *

**The 'Free' Republic of Genosha...**

Lionel Luthor was just having his breakfast at the house the Genoshan government had generously allowed him to stay in when the news coverage cut to Washington. He was also having a conversation with his daughter over the phone. "Theatrical, isn't he," he remarks about Magneto. "I did try and warn them," he makes the point that he did try and prepare the world to deal with the mutant threat.

"You tried to kill them with a superpowered suit, dad," Tess retaliates, making herself drawl dryly.

Lionel chuckles lightly.

"You find it funny?" Tess asks a little incredulous that he does.

"A little," he confesses. "I was...unprepared. Unprepared for the rush of power and I got carried away and charged in without much thought. Poor strategy. A mistake never to be repeated," he vows. "Besides Tess, fanatics like Magneto can't be dealt with by words," he points out.

"I know that," Tess says in understanding because she's met people like that. "I did agree to help, remember?"

"I do," Lionel says with a soft smile. He's liked that he and Tess have seemed to hit it off. It's only a superficial assessment through their phone calls but Lionel reckons Tess has more of him in her than Lex does.

"I never really had a chance to ask what we were suppose to make of this whole inhibition technology," Tess raises.

"I was."

"What?"

"Making this technology before my regrettable downfall. Lex, no doubt, has carried on the work but it seems Charles beat him to the punch. I must admit I never saw that coming," Lionel says, surprise in his tone still at the fact.

"Is it good for us? Bad for us?" Tess wants his opinion.

"I would have preferred to have the technology back under my control but it does not derail our current plans...and it seems Charles has had a setback in releasing it unless I'm very much missing my step."

"So not much of a difference?"

"Not really. Now, how about your end? How's the excavation at the caves going?" Lionel asks about the archaeological survey he is paying for anonymously at the Kawatche Caves.

"It's proceeding as expected...although a few younger male members of the tribe aren't happy that I'm there. Accuse me of exploiting their heritage."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lionel says genuinely. "Any particular reason they're so hard on you?" he inquires.

"I'm a woman and I'm white. Lets just start there and work our way down," Tess mutters incredulously.

"Despite the fact we've promised to return the caves to them for nothing?"

"They don't trust the white man or woman in my case. Think I'm deceiving them so I can exploit them."

"Considering history that's not unexpected. It's not causing difficulties is it?"

"Professor Willowbrook has managed to keep a cap on it."

"Good. Very good."

"What am I suppose to be looking for, exactly?" Tess asks again a question she has asked before because it seemed like her father was wanting this dig to find something though he hadn't said what precisely.

"Anything. Everything."

"Come on, dad," Tess complains. "I thought you were wanting to bond. I'm not feeling any trust here."

Lionel supposes she could have a point. "There are reasons I keep information to myself, Lutessa. For your protection. What I will say is that you're looking for a connection to Superman."

"Superman?" Tess asks, befuddled.

"The symbol he wears. Doesn't it look familiar?"

Tess takes a moment to think before it strikes her. "It resembles the writing in the cave."

"Exactly."

"This...this is all about Superman, isn't it," Tess realises as the pieces fall into place. Little bits her father has unwittingly said in other conversations.

"Not completely."

"Why? Why him? What makes him so special?"

"He is the key to limitless power that can change the world, which is our goal. However our last meeting probably has left him with a bad impression of me."

"No kidding!" Tess exclaims jokingly. She sobers. "So this is about finding...leverage on Superman?" she guesses the point of the excavation. Since he wouldn't work for her father it must be about coercing him.

"Something like that. Is this going to be a problem?" he asks if Tess has some moral objection.

"It's not going to harm him?"

"It shouldn't. Truth is Tess I'm not certain what it is I'm looking for. Just something that would allow me to get him to hear me out at least. The caves are the only link I have to him...to the truth about him."

"What truth?"

"That is the question," he cryptically replies. He hasn't told her about Superman's alien origin yet and is not planning to right at the moment.

"I see," Tess says blandly. "So do you think I can expect to see him at some point?" she wonders. If the caves are linked to him he might come looking to see what is going on with the dig.

"Possibly...probably which is why I'm using the cover of this survey to hide our aims and one of the reasons I asked you to take charge of it. He doesn't know you."

"I thought you wanted to get to know me," Tess says in a sudden grump.

"I do," Lionel assures her. "And if circumstances were different I would rather do that than work as hard as I must do. Then again without the circumstances that brought me here I wouldn't have received the enlightenment I did and would not have sought you out. Life's funny like that."

"Yeah. It is," Tess says bitter-sweetly. "So just carry on as we are for now?" she asks about their response to what has been happening with Magneto.

"Indeed. This only proves why my plans must be pushed forward to completion as soon as possible. Magneto, where is he when he's not on the news? If I were to guess he's securing a power base somewhere. Soon he'll be in a position to wage his war. We must make our move to transform the world first."

"Time of the essence?"

"Always. Speaking of time have you managed to get a location on the persons I asked."

"You mean SynTechnics Dr Frankensteins?"

"Yes. Them."

"I found where Lex has stashed them thanks to our people on the inside and I set up surveillance on them as you asked."

Lionel can hear a certain distaste to his daughter's tone. "I know you don't approve of them or their ethics Tess and I apologise for my actions back then. Regardless they have technical expertise we require. The sad truth is that the people who can create a better world aren't fit to live there. There are difficult choices to be made if you desire to share with me in the future I wish to create."

"I do," Tess sincerely wishes to aid her father. "God, if anyone knows what a mess this world is it's me," she has to reflect back on her life. From the hellish orphanage she grew up in through and including up to being kidnapped by pirates/terrorists on some godforsaken little island in the middle of nowhere.

"Then you're still with me?"

"Of course," Tess assures her father she is.

"Then when the time is right you'll have these men brought here to Genosha."

"How will we do it from under Lex's nose?"

"We have to time it carefully. When he is distracted. We just have to choose our moment."

"I understand." Tess yawns. "I think I'll go to bed."

"Of course," Lionel says, understanding the time difference. "Have sweet dreams," he offers.

"Night dad," Tess says and then hangs up.

Lionel turns back to his breakfast as he allows himself some time to mull over events. Frankly it was all going surprisingly well. There had been a few minor setbacks, mostly thanks to Superman but nothing that derailed Lionel's ultimate goals.

He hears footsteps approach the kitchen where he is sitting and kills the television before they enter. Who enters is a young teenage boy with blond hair wearing a pair of blue Tranformers pyjamas.

"Morning Douglas," Lionel greets the mutant boy, otherwise known as Cypher, whose mutant gift, in many ways, makes what Lionel is planning possible, only he doesn't quite give Cypher the true story of what that is.

"Morning," Cypher replies as he rubs the sleep from his eyes and shuffles his way across the kitchen. Despite being a fugitive from the States and living in a foreign country, Doug has to say this is the most normality he has had in some time. He ran away from his mutant hating father into the hands of Magneto who then left him for dead in the sands of the desert. After SHIELD saved him he befriended Lionel who has been looking after him ever since and has focussed Doug's gifts towards making the world better, to using his gifts to make up for his previous misjudgement of thinking Magneto was the one who could help him do that. "What's happening this morning?" he asks.

"Haven't looked," Lionel easily lies for his own reasons. "By the way Douglas in case I haven't said it before I can't say enough how much you have done for our little endeavour. I know your father would never say it but if I were him I would be very proud of you."

"Thanks!" Doug says brightly.

"And how are things on your end?"

"It's all good. Thanks to your inside guys we have complete access to Lexcorp's more sensitive projects. If Mr Vanko keeps up his current pace we should finish roughly the same time your son is finishing his project for SHIELD."

"Good. Then that will be the time to show the world what it's so-called protectors are really up to and offer our superior alternative."

And that is why Cypher used his mutant gifts to help. When he was at SHIELD he learned that the supposed good guys were not really all that good. Lies, secrets and double-crosses. They sold Lionel out when all he was doing was what he agreed to do. To help SHIELD find the 3 stones and Fury did a deal with the X-Men that would condemn Lionel to minimally life in prison if not, perhaps, the death penalty. What SHIELD is planning and Lex is helping with...if the world knew...well it will know soon, thanks to Lionel's planning and Doug's mutant gifts.

Cypher is determined he will make a difference this time. He won't be hated for being what he is. He won't be dumped after his usefulness has expired. He'll use his gifts and change the world just like Lionel promised they would.

* * *

**At Magneto's base...**

Magneto had had Amelia transport them to a particular base because he wished to check up on Ms Swann's progress. Sinister must have finished the transformation process by now. He leaves the Acolytes behind and heads for the lab where the machine is kept. Upon entering he finds it to be a mess and finds some of Sinister's own little group of mutants strewn about the floor. Even Sinister looks a little worse for wear.

"I'm going to guess there was a problem," Magneto dead-pans.

"A slight...miscalculation," Sinister corrects.

"What happened?" Magneto demands to know.

"An underestimation of Ms Swann's power. It was truly quite remarkable," Sinister reflects back on it, a gleam of scientific wonder in his eye despite what transpired.

Magneto can feel his previous good mood at his own success waning quickly. "Give me the whole story. You placed her in the machine," he gives the starting point he wants.

"And at first it all went as planned..."

**Flashback...**

Sinister stands behind the control console as the intense green light fills the cylindrical chamber, hiding Patricia Swann from view. She had resisted being placed in there strongly and put a remarkable fight...for a human but Sinister used his own group of mutants to place her inside. His own band of followers grows as he picks up more and more of Stryker's 'children' along with any other mutant that interests him.

Sinister stares into the tubular machine with rapt interest as he waits for the results. It was the one flaw in his design. He didn't know what would come out because he hadn't, yet, discerned how to induce a particular mutation that would give him an outcome he decided upon. He was working on it. Science is about slow, gradual research and experimentation and if it is one thing Sinister has a lot of it's time. Every time he runs a person through the machine gives him a little more data towards that goal of having absolute control over what he creates.

The machine runs through its cycle and the green light fades away. The door slides open and the two mutants known as Slab and Ramrod reach inside and lift the now unconscious woman out.

Sinister steps forward to examine his handy work. "Interesting," is his rather bland comment on his first impression of seeing her. She had very visibly changed. Her skin was now white as was her hair. Also, while it does not interest him at all, even being dispassionately objective he would have to say Ms Swann had gone from moderately attractive to stunningly so. Her face had achieved a much greater symmetry that people deem an attractive feature and her body was leaner and fitter, more toned.

"Hnn," she groans as she starts to wake up.

"Ms Swann? Can you hear me?" Sinister asks her.

_'Swann? Is that her name? It sounds familiar. She's so confused. She can't remember. Everything is so jumbled. She remembers pain. Yes. Terrible pain. And anger. At someone. Who was it again? Maybe it's the person talking to her. There's something about the voice that makes her want to punch the source of it in the face. Who is he? Who is she? So many thoughts swirl around yet she can barely seem to grasp any but for a fleeting moment before she loses them again.'_

She opens her eyes and looks into the pale face of the man with red pupilless eyes.

"How are you feeling?" he asks her.

_'How is she feeling?'_

"Angry," she growls.

The man's face barely registers any reaction. His hand grips her chin and she feels him trying to probe her mind. For some reason this outrages her. "Get out of my head!" she screams and her eyes glow brilliant white before two white beams shoot from her eyes, slamming into the man, sending him flying across the room and to her much pleasure he screams in pain as he goes.

The two men holding her try to pin her down but with a struggle she throws them aside off of her and straightens up.

Sinister looks down at his chest...his scorched chest. It was impossible. He couldn't be hurt. Not like this. The mark was shrinking, healing albeit much slower than normal on him. He looks up just as Ms Swann flings his two flunkies away and as she stands there she practically radiates power. She turns her head and glares at him with eyes now as black as the night itself before they do the strangely opposite and glow white once again.

Acting quickly Sinister presses a switch on the bracelet he wears on his left wrist to summon the others of his group who are outside the door on guard.

It doesn't stop the white beams slamming into him again, burning and tearing at his flesh.

Sinister's group storm in through the door and Ms Swann stops blasting Sinister and charges at them...and right through them easily, all taken by surprise by her seemingly immense strength. It forces Sinister to get to his feet and chase after her himself personally.

She doesn't know where she is going. Only that she has an overwhelming need to get away. She runs down the corridor, her irises suddenly change colour with dashes of red appearing in them and to her eyes she spots...it's like a crack in the very fabric of reality...

_'Uh, ok, how do I know what it is?' _she asks herself, clueless as to where that came from.

Actually it doesn't matter how, she decides. She reaches for the crack which opens for her. She feels the light, the energy beyond and like a moth is hopelessly drawn to it and without a moment's hesitation she steps into the crack and vanishes from this time and place.

All Sinister sees is her vanish into thin air. He steps to where she disappeared and sees nothing. Feels nothing. That was very unexpected.

**The Present...**

"That was just mere moments before you arrived," Sinister finishes his story. "I have yet to ascertain how she vanished before you ask," he heads that query off.

Magneto is not happy. Not in the least. He had wanted Patricia to join him. Not this!

And worse by the sound of it she was now a very powerful mutant and would have been a great aid to the cause and she is just lost!

Magneto is beyond unhappy. He is definitely angry.

Magneto turns on his heels and departs. He wishes to calm himself before engaging any further with Sinister. He also must check up on how the Brotherhood got on.

He heads to a communication room and does just that. It had not gone well. They had lost to apparently a secondary team Charles has created. He orders them home feeling that another attempt at Star Labs was not necessary...at least not at the moment. He'll see how things progress in the next few days. He can always go back and finish the job if required.

Magneto takes a moment to make a customary summary of the night. It was not a complete failure. It was not a complete success either. At least he gained a powerful new recruit in the shape of Rogue.

Life is like that. You don't win every battle but Magneto got what he wanted. He got his message across and for now that is enough.

* * *

_Author's Note: I based Patricia's new look off the character Black Swan, currently in the pages of the New Avengers. Not a huge fan of the current storyline but I love how she looks plus she had the word Swan in her name. Anyway she has the ability to see where one reality will leak into another, where the crack in reality is and I used that and well bye, bye Patricia for now. It'll be awhile before she returns...and returns from where and what has she seen and experienced? It leaves it open for her to be a very different person when she does return. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the fallout continues and Clark learns of his ex's betrayal._


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

**SHIELD Hellicarrier...**

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" an irate sounding and looking Colonel Fury asks Professor Xavier.

The authorities had found the X-Men within the factory ruins and the only reason they are not in jail is due to the intervention of the one-eyed Director of SHIELD.

Fury continues his diatribe, which has been lasting at least 10 minutes so far, "Do you know how many personal favours I had to call in? I have better things to do than bail you out. If some members of the Joint Chiefs had their way you would be held responsible for this whole thing!"

A very tried looking looking Charles Xavier sits in his wheelchair across the desk in Fury's office(the X-Men were being held in 'guest' quarters) and frankly hasn't the energy to really have a debate right now. "Colonel I really don't care at the minute about how I'm seen by desk-bound generals or their political masters. Magneto beat me today. I admit it. What concerns me is that he took Patricia Swann and I don't know where. I fear greatly for her."

That tempers Fury slightly. "Is he going to kill her?"

"In a way, yes and in a way, no."

"You're going to have to better than that," Fury demands.

"Magneto has a machine that can transform humans into mutants using the meteor rocks from Smallville."

"You're only mentioning this now?!" Fury sputters in rage.

"Well to be fair our last meeting wasn't the best place to discuss it," Charles argues since it was just after the 2nd meteor shower and he and the Colonel were in a stand-off over the Kryptonian ship(though Fury doesn't know it was that or related to Clark in anyway) that they were both keeping hush hush about.

Fury so wants to argue that but he bites his tongue. "So he plans to turn her into a mutant like him?"

"Probably on the assumption that once she is he can use her and the vast resources she commands to aid him. Personally I doubt that whatever he does she would help him."

"But she helps you with this inhibition technology of yours?"

"Her father was a close friend and she wished to carry on his work."

"It seems Magneto has put a stop to that quite effectively. The factory destroyed. Ms Swann taken."

"Star Labs," Charles mentions, interrupting Fury. "Have you heard of anything involving Star Labs?" he asks.

"Nothing that has been brought to my attention, why?"

"Magneto had sent a second group to Metropolis to, we assume, destroy it, as well. I sent a team to stop them."

"I'll have that checked," Fury says and then uses the internal comms to order that done before returning to the conversation. "We never had a chance to talk about the inhibition technology."

"That you had Lex Luthor working on, yes?"

Fury's face sours. "How did you know that?"

"I have my ways," Charles replies vaguely, not revealing the whole story about how Superman and Nightwing met Bart.

Fury feels he is missing something, like Lex has forgotten to mention something. Must have a word with SHIELD's current business partner he decides. "I must admit I was surprised when you made your announcement."

Charles lets out a weary breath. "Colonel, I've already had to justify my choice many, many times over. I have no wish to keep repeating it. It is just something I felt was necessary to try and secure a peaceful future," he says, wishing to cut off yet another debate over the technology. "Bottom line is this. I felt more secure with myself in control of the technology than anyone else."

"I can understand that," Fury gets it.

"Now I need to try and contact my people. I have a lot to do," the Professor says, essentially making a request of Fury.

"So do I," Fury grouses. He has about a hundred more meetings on this. Magneto penetrated security all the way to the White House has people breathing down his neck. The only saving grace, the President is abroad and wasn't home.

Fury takes the Professor up to the bridge. Charles needs to contact the mansion and find out what is going on in relation to the other team. So far SHIELD hadn't heard much in relation to Star Labs. Something about a small disturbance outside of it that might have been mutant related.

Charles raises the mansion and speaks to Jonathan who instantly asks about Charles' and the X-Men's well-being. They're on all the news channels apparently. Charles must remember to issue a statement to the press to give his side of it.

Charles inquires about Logan and company, making sure to mention where he currently is so Jonathan knows to chose his words carefully.

"They managed to stop the Brotherhood. Last I heard from Wolverine is that he was heading your way to see if you needed assistance while Superman and...um, our fast friend remained behind to keep watch. I haven't heard anything since from Wolverine. In fact I haven't been able to raise him at all."

"I remember Magneto mentioning we had company and he sent...others to deal with it," Charles explains vaguely, not wishing to mention Rogue by name just yet, though he must imagine she can be seen on the news footage. It was concerning they couldn't contact the jet. "Jonathan I'm going to be here for several hours cleaning this up. I need you to go down to the computer room and activate the emergency transponder on the x-jet," he requests, giving Jonathan the instruction on how to do it. "Once you get the location contact Superman and have him and...our fast friend go to the coordinates indicated and aid Wolverine and the others," he asks for Clark and Bart to run there.

"I'll do that. Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Thank you but I'm afraid not. I have to clean this up. Just look after the students for me."

"That's no problem," Jonathan assures him.

Charles signs off the call. He looks to Fury. "I need to release a statement to the press before Magneto can make more ground on this," he advises the Colonel, basically asking for his assistance.

"And you have about a hundred politicians and military chiefs who still want to talk to you as well. I can only keep you out of jail, not explain your actions to them."

Charles rubs his head. There's a pain and it's growing. What a mess!

* * *

**Appalachian Mountains...**

For Generation X there wasn't much to do but wait for help. The electronics on the jet were fried good and proper. Their own personal communicators were too as it turned out. There was going to be no calling for help.

Logan stands next to the crashed x-jet staring out at the slowly lightening sky. Morning was approaching. He stands there contemplating what he saw about Rogue...about his daughter. There is an answer to what she was doing only the one he keeps coming up with...well he doesn't like it. It makes him want to hurt people.

It makes him want to hurt himself because if she has...done what it looks like then how the hell did he miss it? She's been grumpy and difficult lately, sure but then again so is he. But again how could he not have seen this coming? Is he her father or not?

For once he wishes Sabretooth was here so he could take out his frustrations on Creed's hide.

There is a sudden gust of wind and Logan sniffs the air. Clark and Bart. "Yer late," he gruffly remarks as he turns round to take in the two boys.

"Knew that detour to Mexico for a burrito was a bad idea," Clark jokes with a snap of his fingers.

"Yeah with the way it's coming back on me I'm agreeing with you," Bart says, falsely looking like he has indigestion.

Clark sobers. "So my dad partially filled me in. I'm guessing we didn't stop Magneto."

"That's an understatement, kid," Logan says.

Clark feels annoyed he wasn't here but he can't be in two places at once. He made his choice and he has to live with it.

Generation X comes out of the jet and Clark spots an oddity immediately. "Betsy? What happened to your hair?" he asks about the now blond girl.

Betsy pouts. "I don't know," she whines.

"How did you end up here?" Bart wonders, reaching for the story.

Between them Generation X manage to get the story across of the factory being lifted into the air and then them being forced down...only no-one quite has the guts to mention Rogue's involvement to Clark. They do mention a certain girl with green hair though and it gets Clark thinking.

"That sounds like Wanda's sister," Clark comments as he rubs his chin in thought. "She has the same power as Magneto...we believe," he modifies.

"That explains how we were knocked down," Siryn can see.

"And Betsy's hair," Clark adds.

"It does?" Betsy queries that with a puzzled frown.

"If you are exposed to a highly energised magnetic field you can polarise the dye and your hair with the same charge so it ends up being repelled and separating from your hair."

"That explains the weird purple stain on the floor," Ray figures and had been the only one to have spotted it.

"So where's my sister?" Clark wants to know, unable to spot her.

"Right. About that," Bobby says uncomfortably.

"Firefly and Hayseed chased after Mags. Didn't come back," Logan just bluntly lays out what happened.

"They didn't stop him either," Clark has to inform the group, since he is going to guess they haven't a clue what has happened. Then again Clark doesn't have the full story either. Only what his father mentioned.

"What do ya mean?"

"He made it all the way to Washington and parked the factory on the front lawn of the White House where he made one of his humans are evil, I'll defend mutants blah, blah rants...or at least that was the gist my father gave me."

"He made it all the way to the White House?!" Ray cries in shock.

"Yep."

"Fucking hell!" Ray swears.

"The Professor and the X-Men are alright. They're with Fury...I think," Clark has to modify, again he doesn't have the full details.

"Then they're definitely ain't alright," Logan says gruffly in reflection of his low current opinion of Fury.

"I didn't get the details. Now Sam and Claire chased after Magneto?" Clark asks to be confirmed.

"Yep."

"Then Bart and I will head in the direction of Washington and try and find them. We can cover more ground than any of you."

"Sounds like a plan," Logan says.

"Bart. Lets go," Clark says to his room-mate as he zooms off.

"Catch ya later!" Bart says as he zips off after his room-mate.

* * *

Claire and Sam were lost as hell. They flew up high and all they could see were mountains and no sign of the x-jet. They ended up so turned around after being caught in the twister they weren't even sure which direction was which but the sun beginning to rise helped. At least they now knew where East was but they didn't know where the x-jet was in relation to them...so basically they're still stuck.

If all else failed they could head east until they hit the coast and then follow it until they reached New York. They could do that all the way to the mansion and get help but they weren't that desperate yet and didn't want to abandon their team-mates.

_FWEEEERTTTT!_

It's the sound of a very loud whistle and Sam and Claire look down as a figure in red and blue rises up into the air.

Claire dives down. "Are you flying?" she asks her brother.

"No. I'm jumping real good," Clark quips back.

Claire rolls her eyes.

Clark reaches the top of the arc and comes to an almost complete stop. "But I do float...a little," he amends. He then starts a slow descent. This is the limit of his control. Proper flying still alludes him.

Sam circles round Clark, spiralling downward. "So what's happening?" he asks.

Clark gives a summary of what he knows happened via his father about Magneto reaching Washington and the X-Men are ok and trying to sort out the mess and he and Bart are here to help them. Bart was directly beneath them on the ground.

"The Velocity got trashed," Sam mentions.

"No shit," Claire says. "A mountain fell on it."

"That's gonna cost us," Clark jokily laments with a shake of his head. "From the look of the x-jet I think the best bet is that I just carry it and all of you home."

"You can do that?"

"Sure. Roughly guessing how much fuel is left it can't weigh more than about 60 tons or so," Clark says as if that's nothing much.

"Think it would enough to squash Rogue with?" Claire asks, her tone bitter and angry.

"Why would I want to squish Rogue?" Clark asks, clueless.

Claire blinks and looks at his honestly confused expression as she floats down with him. "They didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Clark asks, truly getting more confused.

"The bitch betrayed us! She helped Magneto escape!"

"W-what?" Clark stammers, unable to believe he just heard that.

"Now we don't know that for certain," Sam is the voice of caution. "She could have been being mind controlled."

"Rogue helped Magneto escape," Clark says it, trying to make it make sense.

Sam rubs his face. Claire could have dropped this way more gently. "She was there with this girl with green hair and Colossus on top of the factory when we crashed."

"And when Sam and I tried to follow them she summoned up a storm and knocked us out of the air. She nearly fucking killed us!" Claire yells, pissed.

"They never told me that," Clark grumbles. Why didn't they tell him? He's not that scary a person. In fact he's pretty understanding. Like right now. "Look we don't know what happened. Sam could be right. It might be mind control. Rao knows we've all had far too much experience of that. Lets wait until the Professor gets back and get the whole story before we jump to conclusions, alright?"

"Good advice," Sam agrees wholeheartedly and then he and Clark look at Claire.

Claire looks back grumpily. "Fine," she says shortly. "But if it turns out she's defected I'm fucking skinning the bitch alive."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my sister," Clark proclaims in total mocking form. He can't believe they're family.

"Fuck you!" Claire spits out at him.

Clark shakes his head. Sam flies by close and pats him on the shoulder. "I feel your pain," he says in sympathy, referring to the strife his own sister causes.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

It is dark once again on Saturday evening by the time the X-Men finally shuffle their way in through the door and home after Fury arranges for them to be dropped off.

It's been a long 24 hours as it basically has been.

Spider-Man is with them because by now he has had the time to tell them his theory on what has happened to Rogue and...well, now he has to say it to Clark. Peter's also had to sell his aunt a story about the fact he's been spending his time in Bayville with Kitty which is only half a lie.

Ororo's first instinct was to try and find Logan but he was nowhere in sight to greet them. Something involving beer is mentioned as to where he is and what he is doing. She isn't terribly surprised. In fact he's probably been drinking all day if she knows him at all.

Despite the weariness the Professor wastes no time in calling a meeting involving the X-Men and Generation X plus Clark, Peter and Bart.

"Charles," Ororo speaks his name, her expression a small plead.

Charles understands. "He's in the garage," he tells her where Logan is.

"Thank you," she whispers and rushes off to find him.

The rest head down to the War Room, swap their respective stories and the number one topic raised first afterwards is inevitably Rogue. The Professor has no choice but to confirm what Generation X had suspected. Rogue has joined Magneto.

"Fucking bitch. I'll kill her," Claire swears.

"It may not be that simple," the Professor cautions. "Spider-Man has a theory."

Clark, in particular, gazes at Spider-Man intensely.

Peter rubs the back of his head. "Yeesh. The pressure all of a sudden. I think...I can't be sure but her looks, her words, her expressions, her mannerisms it reminded me..." He looks back at Clark and takes a breath first. "Well it reminded me of you when we were at the Hellfire Club."

Clark's eyes shift back and forth quickly as he processes that. "You're saying it's Kal?"

Spider-Man shrugs. "It looked like him, to me."

"I must admit after Spider-Man mentioned it I could see the similarities," Beast backs Peter's hypothesis up.

"It's impossible. Kal is in my head where he belongs. I mean I know Rogue absorbed me but...but...how much of me did she keep, Professor?" Clark asks, turning his head in the wheelchair bound man's direction.

"Like everyone she absorbs, Clark she retained an echo of your psyche. If we assume for a moment it is Kal a better question is how would he affect her. You would know better than I, Clark."

"Kal's...he's me. More or less. A part of me. My selfish side brought forth. Spidey knows what it's like."

Peter nods. He does. The symbiote brought that darker side of him out to the surface. It's not his most pleasant memory. He still occasionally wakes up in cold sweats because of it.

"Everyone has a darker side to them. Rogue especially. It's sort of in her name. If it is Kal I would say it is more he has amplified what was already there. She may not even be aware it's happening to her," Clark speculates.

"Yeah. I never did get a chance to say it to her," Spider-Man regrets.

"Rogue's not a bad person. She's not," Clark insists, his tone heavy with emotion. This shock hasn't sunk in yet.

"Whatever the causes that's not our immediate concern," Cyclops argues. "The damage Rogue can do is immense."

"He's right," Clark agrees. "Though I don't think we're meaning quite the same thing. The thing about Kal is that he's an arrogant, egotistical ass and he doesn't listen. We can try and talk Rogue down, assuming we can find where she is now but more likely is that we'll have to force her to listen to us," he says through his own very personal experience. "Then how you rebalance her psyche...well that's more a telepath's arena."

"If it is as simple as Rogue being unaware of the influence then she can be helped. I can help her," the Professor says.

"And if we're wrong and she simply has gone...rogue," Cyclops says, wincing slightly at how awful that must have sounded.

"People are free to make choices. We defend that right but equally we will not allow Rogue nor Magneto and his followers to destabilise the world. If Rogue has simply chosen this path...then there are laws and she is answerable to them as are we all."

"I believe that brings us back t' where this whole thing started," Banshee says.

"Yes. The inhibition technology," Charles agrees that that is still the centre of all of this.

"What do we do now about that now?" Jean asks.

"Press on with the trial with the local police. Magneto thinks he has stopped it. I'm going to show him he has failed."

"But without the factory...?" Kitty wonders how.

"I talked to Bridgette Crosby, she was Virgil's assistant," Charles reminds everyone. "She now works for Patricia and in Patricia's absence she has power of attorney to act in Patricia's stead. She made the point to me while we were talking that Star Labs can produce the quantities of equipment necessary for the trial. It shouldn't be an overwhelming amount of work. After all lets face reality most crime in Bayville is not mutant or superpowered related. 99% plus of it is normal humans."

"That's true," Clark confirms from his personal experience.

"As for how we pick up the pieces, Bridgette will be here tomorrow so we can have a face to face discussion. She was surprisingly optimistic on the phone about it," the Professor says a little off-put by how chirpy Bridgette was.

"What of Ms Swann?" Cyclops wonders.

Charles sighs. "From what we know probably only Magneto knew where she was. Only he has the answers we seek. With his shielding technology I cannot find her."

"Or we could ask someone," Clark suddenly says as if a light bulb has just gone off in his head.

Everyone looks at him. "What was that Clark?" Charles asks.

"We could ask someone. Someone who use to work for Magneto."

"Who?" Spyke asks.

Clark gives an answer no-one expected. "Professor, can you find Live Wire?"

* * *

Storm finds Logan exactly where the Professor said he was. In the garage sitting amongst a good couple dozen empty beer bottles and more full ones sitting by his side awaiting to be drunk. "Logan?" she queries gently.

Logan makes a small growl before throwing back another beer. Damn healing factor won't let him get drunk unfortunately.

Storm walks inside, picking her way through the discarded glass bottles.

"Ya alright?" Logan asks.

"Fine. Tired. Rogue...drained me," she reveals then wishes she hadn't said it.

Logan grabs another beer. "So it's true then. She's gone with them," he assumes.

"It may not be that simple. We think her mind has been affected by...persons she has absorbed," she chooses to phrase it for the moment.

"Should have seen that," he says flatly.

"What?" Ororo asks, looking at him oddly. "Logan, please don't start blaming yourself," she asks of him.

"Why not? I'm her father and I didn't know anything was wrong with her."

"None of us saw what was wrong with her. We all thought it a phase due to the changes she's gone through lately." Ororo comes to his side and places a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get her back," she promises. "May take awhile but we shall. I'm not giving up on her and neither should you. That's a definition of family that we don't give up on each other."

Logan looks at her. "We?" he questions that inclusion of herself.

"You're not getting rid of me. I promise." She leans in and kisses him gently at the corner of his mouth. "I hope you saved a beer for me," she reprimands him for drinking without her.

Logan can't help himself and bursts out laughing.

* * *

**Miami, Florida...**

A slight tipsy white-skinned woman with sticking-up blue hair, dressed in a dark blue dress, staggers her way to her hotel room along the corridor, singing as she goes. She thanks God her mutation doesn't inhibit her ability to get inebriated. "P-A-R-T-Y!" she sings. "Why?! Because I love to! P-A-R-T-Y! Because I got to!" She spins round and dances badly as she continues to sing. The lights flicker in response to her as she passes them. She reaches the door and points her finger at the door lock and makes a sound like a gun firing and the electronic lock opens. She laughs at her own awesomeness and stumbles through the door, throwing her jacket off which lands on the floor. She gets to her bedroom and sits on the edge of the bed and struggles to get her shoes off.

"Have a nice night out?"

"Holy fucking god!" she exclaims jumping to her feet and spinning round, trying to find the source of the voice.

"I'm pretty sure that's blasphemous," the voice dead-pans.

The woman forms a ball of lightning in her hand and lights up the room. The light illuminates the striking features of a young man with a strong jaw, piercing blue eyes and slicked back hair apart from one one curly lock which flops over his forehead. "Clarkie!" she proclaims merrily.

Clark rolls his eyes and tries not to gag at the stink of alcohol coming from her. "Hello Leslie."

"I knew you couldn't resist me!" Leslie Willis aka Live Wire says with a naughty grin.

Clark gives her a look. He raises a hand and blows into it forming a small ball of ice within. He then throws it above her head where he blasts it with heat vision, instantly turning it to water which then rains down upon Live Wire.

Water and electricity are not a good mix as she screams out in pain as her body short-circuits before collapsing to the floor.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

After the meeting Kurt had retired to his room, deeply depressed about essentially losing his sister. It's just...it's not been 3 months since they made the discovery of their relation. They were just starting to bond on that level and now she's gone off and joined Magneto of all people. He's not sure how to feel. Anger doesn't fit if her mind is truly being influenced. Worry might be closer to how he feels.

There is just a...hole inside him. There is a feeling of emptiness.

Regardless Rogue will get a mention in his prayers tonight. Kurt always mentions her in his prayers. That is what one does for their family.

Just then there is a knock on his door. Kurt doesn't feel like seeing anyone but his parents' teachings of manners is too deeply ingrained so he gets up and opens the door. "Mandi?" he queries at the sight of girl with brown skin and hair who also happens to be his girlfriend; Amanda Sefton. "Vhat are you doing here?"

"I got a text message from Clark saying you needed me..." Amanda looks him over. "And I can see he was right," she can instantly tell that Kurt is deeply upset about something. They've been dating long enough for her to know his moods.

Kurt is surprised Clark did that. "So you just came over?"

"Of course silly. I'm your girlfriend," Amanda says it like it's the most natural and obvious thing in the world. "So what happened?" she asks him.

Kurt's face falls. "It's a long story."

Amanda can hear great pain in his voice and it hurts her to see him like this. "I've got all the time in the world for you," she says in soft sincerity.

That makes Kurt smile a tiny bit.

"Can I come in?" Amanda asks for his permission to properly enter his room.

Kurt lets her and shows her to his bed where they sit side-by-side where he begins to tell her about his day.

* * *

**Somewhere in Florida...**

"Fucking asshole," she insults him.

"Tsk, language," he berates her.

"Why did you do that?" she wants to know why he soaked her.

"Sobered you up, didn't it."

"Not much."

"It also, I'm guessing, drains you of your power until you can recharge. I wanted us to talk without fighting."

"Where are we?"

"Still in Florida. Just away from any form of electricity."

Live Wire sits on an empty remote beach in the dark with Clark standing a short distance away. The only light is a small fire he must have built while she was out. She raises her hands to her pounding head. "What do you want, Clark?" she asks, just wanting for him to go away so she can crawl into a coma.

"Your help."

Live Wire laughs mockingly. "You're joking?!"

"Do I look like I'm in a joking mood, Leslie?"

She looks up at him. He's close enough and there is just enough light from the fire to see his features and no. He looks pretty serious actually.

"I don't know how up to speed you are on current events. In fact it probably doesn't matter. What does matter is that Magneto took a friend of mine and was planning to put her in that mutant making machine of his..."

"And you think I know where it is," Live Wire cottons on.

"Do you?"

"Hate to disappoint you, handsome but no."

"You worked for him..."

"Against my will!" she spits out furiously.

"I...apologise," he says. As much as he dislikes her he needs her help so needs her in a cooperative mood. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Leslie. I am," he insists truly. "My point is you know where his bases are."

"Where they were," she corrects. She then stands to her feet. "And why on God's green Earth would I help you?" she asks him.

"I could spout a line about helping an innocent woman."

Live Wire snorts. "Yeah. Do I look like someone who cares?"

"You're not a monster, Leslie," Clark makes the point that she may be annoying as hell but a heartless monster, he would never go that far to call her that.

"That's a matter of opinion. Still not hearing any good reason why I should help you."

"I'll go with the simple one. You help me. I smoke Magneto's ass."

"Hmm, tempting I must confess," Live Wire gives him that one. "But sorry still can't help ya."

Clark looks at her with a puzzled expression.

Live Wire sighs. "Look, stud, I hate Magneto and I would like nothing better than to help you smoke his ass but I can't help you. Magnet for brains moves his bases around periodically. They're never in the same place for more than a few months. By now he could be anywhere. Sorry but your friend's as cursed as me by now."

Clark wishes he could detect a lie but he can't. The sense of failure from him is palpable.

"Cheer up, Clark. It could be worse. She is still alive...assuming she survived the process which from personal experience I can tell you hurts like hell."

"Yes Rogue mentioned that," he says with a severe tone and a severe glare at her.

Live Wire grins utterly unapologetic for putting Rogue in the machine. "And how is she? Did she turn red or green or purple?"

"Hate to disappoint you Leslie but nothing like that happened."

"Aw shoot!" Live Wire says, disappointed. "Oh well maybe next time huh?"

"There will never be a next time," he promises.

"Ok, ok. Geez. Tone down the protective boyfriend routine."

Clark could correct her misnomer that he is still Rogue's boyfriend, which he was last time he and Live Wire met but frankly it isn't any of her damn business.

"So I'm curious. How did you find me?"

"The Professor has a machine that finds mutants, remember?"

"Oh. The disco ball!" she remembers from her very brief stay at the Institute. "So why have you never come for me before now?"

"Because there was no reason to. In all actuality you haven't broken that severe a law to make it worth the hassle of having to hear your voice again."

"Haven't broken that severe a law, yet," she warns him.

"Leslie, you really want that? You really want us to go another round?"

"Hell yeah!"

Clark makes a sound that is a cross between a sigh and a groan. "Leslie look, I may not like you all that much. Personally I hated your show. You spent all your time ragging on everyone and everything and called it entertainment but I never wanted us to be enemies or whatever it is you call it."

"And I wanted you between the sheets but you chose the Goth over me which frankly shows your taste sucks worse than PBS."

"I'm not getting into a debate on my personal life with you, Leslie. You can't help me then fine I'll go."

"Don't go," she asks in a surprisingly small voice, reaching for him.

Clark pauses and looks at her closely. He must admit she does seem much more restrained than usual.

Leslie seems to realise she sounds desperate. "Or go. You know. Not that I care really," she says in a dismissive tone.

"Leslie, it's never going to happen," he says, trying to shake any notion of hers that he will ever hook up with her.

"Hey you never know until you try."

"Not even slightly tempted," he assures her. "However I do have a proposal for you."

"I'm listening," Live Wire says, intrigued.

"Still hate Lionel?"

"Despise the man."

"He escaped from prison. What he's up to I don't know but what I can guarantee is that at some point he'll try something, probably something big. When that day comes what would you say if I called you to come and surprise him?"

"I would say sounds like fun," Live Wire says with a manic grin.

"I'll take you back to your hotel now," Clark says and in a blur he picks her up and runs her back. Next thing Live Wire really has any awareness of is being deposited on her balcony.

"Whoa. Head-rush," she says as her head spins. "God how fast are you?"

"Faster than you remember."

"Speaking of what I remember I'm curious Clark, doesn't it bother you I know who you are."

"Very much so but if you think you can out me you'll find that difficult."

Live Wire arches an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"

"You remember while everyone else forgot. You know that."

"Yeah," she says. Still hasn't figured out how he did it.

"Magic spell. It separates Clark Kent from Superman in the minds of everyone. You can call me out but they'll dismiss it as the ravings of a lunatic and move on and I may point out if you do a little research you will find news footage of Superman standing next to Clark Kent. "

"Clever. I'm guessing Holowatch."

"I won't be confirming that but I do promise you can try and out me if you wish but it'll never work." Ok he doesn't know that for certain but she doesn't need to know that.

"And I promised you, Clark, in Magneto's base that one day we would finish this and I do keep my word."

"If that's what you want Leslie be my guest," he permits her. "However you keep it between us," he warns her, his tone deadly serious. "You can come after me all you want. You use your knowledge of who I am to go after my friends or family and once I'm done beating you I'll have the Professor wipe your mind until you're nothing but a dribbling idiot...which would actually be an improvement."

"Funny."

"Leslie, at the risk of repeating myself, do I look like I'm joking? And I also keep my word."

"Honestly Clark I kinda liked your folks. However I make no promises when it comes to the X-Men. I haven't forgotten what they and you did to me."

"Leslie, really I hope one day we can move past that," he says, having no wish to keep having to have these confrontations with her.

"Well my bed is that way," she points in the direction of it with a salacious smirk.

"Not a chance," he vows as he turns to leave.

"You could have already done that, couldn't you?"

"Done what?" he asks as he looks back over his shoulder at her.

"What you said about the Prof wiping my mind. I could have woken up at the Institute where the Prof could have brain raped me for all the info you wanted. Why didn't you?"

"I have issues involving telepaths," he vaguely says, mostly from two things. His experience of Emma's attempts to infiltrate his mind and his father's brainwashing of him. Clark wouldn't wish that on even Live Wire. "Besides that wouldn't have been very noble and heroic of me now would it?"

Live Wire grins. "You're a complete moron," she says and part of her does think that. She wouldn't have had nearly as many qualms. Then again a small part, a very tiny part of her is touched he chose not to subject her to that and in return she just might return the favour and keep his identity to herself.

"Is that what you say into the mirror every morning?"

Live Wire laughs. "You see. This is the one thing I have missed about you."

"That's funny because there isn't one thing I miss about you."

"Is that what you say into the mirror every morning?" she fires his words back at him.

"No. Usually I sing a rendition of 'Reach for the Stars!"

"I actually believe you. Well as much as I've loved this catch up unless you're willing to throw me up against the wall and have your wicked way with me you can fuck off now before my powers return."

"You have such a lovely way with words," he drawls sarcastically.

"We'll meet again, Clark," Live Wire promises him. "You can guarantee that."

"No doubt. In the meantime keep an eye out for Magneto. I doubt he has forgiven you for what you did," he says since she did stab the Master of Magnetism,

"You're worried about me? Aw, sweet!" she mocks.

"Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I want to see you hurt, Leslie. What kind of hero would that make me?"

Leslie shakes her head. "You're a complete boyscout," she laughs.

"I would advise you to stay out of trouble but I won't waste my breath."

"If it means anything I am sorry I couldn't help you find your friend. I wouldn't wish this on her," Live Wire says, sounding genuine.

Clark pauses and gazes at her. She seems...slightly different from how he remembers her to be. He's never seen her so subdued and...well nice. Nice by her usual standards anyway. Now why can't she be like that all the time? He might actually grow to be able to tolerate her. With no more to be done here he leaps off her balcony and off across the Miami skyline towards home.

* * *

_Author's Note: Live Wire's personality has a bit to do with her powers. The more juiced up she is the more erratic and loud she becomes. So Clark shorting her out allows the more stable side of her to come to the fore. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Just cleaning up the loose ends of the fallout of this arc._


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

**At the Institute...**

Clark returns from Florida to find a figure on the roof. A figure in the form of his sister. He leaps up. "Couldn't sleep?" he queries as to why she is here at this time of night.

"Too angry to sleep," Claire replies, her voice clearly full of that anger. She's up here to try and clear her head and not burn her and Marie's room down while she is at it.

"Why?"

"That bitch that is your ex."

"Rogue," Clark says with a grim inevitability. "What did she do?"

Claire snorts with fury. "She accused Marie of coming here only to get in my pants! Can you believe that?!"

Clark's going to guess Marie must have mentioned this while he was out. "Sounds like something Kal would say."

"I don't give a fuck what excuse she has. No-one says that about Marie!"

It would be touching in most other circumstances to see how Claire runs to her girlfriend's defence but if she doesn't calm down she's likely to set the mansion on fire...again. "Claire, Rogue is..."

"Oh no. You don't get to defend her! Why would you?! Why aren't you more angry?!"

"Because..."

"Because what?!"

"It's my fault," Clark says in a quiet voice.

Claire is actually knocked off her rant. "How do you figure that?!" she asks, because she can't see it.

"I chose to touch her that night of the concert. I didn't have to do that. Now she's absorbed my aberrant personality. She probably doesn't even realise it or how she is actually behaving. You don't. That's the point. You lose that in built warning siren that tells you when you're doing something wrong. You just care about doing something fun and to hell with everyone else or how they feel. You stop caring about anyone but yourself."

Claire looks at him. She should be wearing a look of disbelief but she's known him long enough to not actually be surprised. "You're a fucking moron," she tells him.

"You're the 2nd one to call me that tonight."

"Maybe that should tell you something."

"Perhaps normally but I tend to tune Live Wire out as much as possible."

"It's not your fault."

"Yeah it is...but at least I'm not sitting around moping. Have to give me points for that."

"No. I don't," Claire assures him. "So how did it go with...what's her name?"

"Live Wire," Clark repeats it. "She doesn't know where the machine is."

"You sure?"

"Sure enough that I don't have to drag her sorry ass back here for a telepathic scan. Couldn't put up with her for that long."

"You really don't like her do you?"

"What was your first clue?"

"You swore...mildly."

"You weren't here when she was. You never met her. She's an opinionated loud-mouth who thinks she's smarter and funnier than she is. Plus she tried to kill us all and reveal the secret before mutants were known. Basically she's just obnoxious. Trust me 30 seconds in her company and you would nuke the entire area."

"She can't be that bad," Claire thinks he's exaggerating.

"She was Bobby's favourite radio DJ."

"I take it back. She must obviously be hunted down and sterilised for the future good of the human race," Claire quickly changes her opinion. Anyone Bobby likes must be unbearable.

Clark runs his hand through his hair.

"How you doing with all this, really?"

Clark sighs, a long, painful one. "I've had better days," he says grimly.

"I'm sure Betsy would comfort you."

Clark looks at Claire intensely. "That's the 2nd time you've said that. What do you mean?"

Claire looks at his clueless expression and realises he doesn't know. "How the fuck can't you have noticed?"

"Noticed what?" he asks, getting mildly irritated.

"She's got a crush on you. Has done since practically the day she arrived."

"I...what?" Clark asks, knocked completely out of kilter.

Claire rolls her eyes. He truly is a moron. "She fancies you, likes you or whatever other term they use in that little hick town you come from."

"I so fucking don't need this," he mutters.

Claire's eyebrows rise in amusement. Swearing never sounds quite right from Clark's mouth. "That because you want Andrea instead?"

"Yes...no...I don't know."

"Glad you cleared that up," Claire quips.

"I like Andi. You know I do but she's emotionally fragile. One moment it seems like she might want to try and the next she pulls back, afraid to be hurt."

"And Betsy? She's definitely willing. Frankly from what I hear give her half a chance and she'll jump into bed with you."

Clark groans. He walks off across the roof and stares out into the night sky.

Claire walks up behind him. "Look I know you may not want to talk about this with me. Maybe one of your guy friends would be better."

If Clark heard that he shows no sign of having done so and talks, his gaze still distant to the stars above. "I've been in one of these triangles before. Back in Smallville. I wanted to be with Lana but she was dating this football player called Whitney. I know how much it sucks to be the odd one out and I really don't want to do that to anyone."

"Clark...I can't believe I'm the one of all people giving this sort of advice," Claire says in total disbelief that she is, "but leading them on, letting them think they have a shot will hurt them when you tell them they don't."

Clark takes a breath. "When I broke up with Rogue I intended to put aside any idea of romance of any sort. Focus on being Superman. Focus on my lessons with Jor-El...which I'm once again neglecting this weekend. That was what I was suppose to be doing," he argues with himself or with his sister. Claire can't tell which.

"Clark I've tried turning off my feelings," Claire says honestly. She tried it when living on the streets and after Lionel abducted her off the streets. "Trying not to let people in yet somehow they always creep back in. You're not made of stone."

Clark looks at her and smiles, pitifully sad and lonely looking. "But neither am I human, Claire. Never forget that. I certainly never can. Every day I'm reminded just how different I actually am. Every day I grow a little stronger, a little faster and everyone around me becomes just that little bit more fragile."

"Little bit smaller?" Claire puts in.

"No. Never smaller," Clark insists with an emphatic shake of his head. "I've been without my powers. I know what it means to be mortal and vulnerable and fragile. Truthfully it amazes me."

"What does?"

"Normal people, everyday, go out into a world where they could be killed by the smallest thing. They face down dangers I don't even have to think about. It's not brave to stand in front of a bullet when you know it can't hurt you. Humans are incredibly courageous beings. It's just a shame they don't seen how amazing they are. The world would probably be a better place."

"Wow," Claire says, amazed by that inspiring little speech. "Now I'm almost tempted to jump into bed with you."

Clark gives her a cynical look. "Don't give up your day job to be a comedian," he advises.

Claire flips him the finger. Though she isn't far wrong. That's what attracts all those females her brother seems to draw in because he sees them as the most amazing things in the world. You can't help but find it flattering. Even she does and she's his sister. "So what will you do? About Betsy and Andrea?"

Clark makes a sort of pained groan. "I don't know. I don't have a good track record in regards to my exes. One's dead. One's possessed by a witch and now one's tainted by my darker side and is off practising her villain monologues."

"Yeesh. You're a jinx!"

"You're right."

"I was joking," she points out. She was trying to lighten the mood...which can only come from having hanged around Clark too much lately because she never use to do that.

"No. You're right," Clark corrects her that she nailed it on the head. "Everyone I let in has their life irrevocably altered by my burdens and secrets. I need to stop pretending I'm like everyone else and can have a normal life. I think I need to get back to what I intended to do after Rogue and I broke up. Back to basics."

Claire doesn't know whether he means that or is just saying it in his depressed moment that he is currently experiencing. She decides to just be supportive but strike a note of caution about the consequences of his decision. "Well if that's what you truly want to do, do it but you'll have to let Betsy and Andrea know."

"I know," Clark accepts, not looking forward to that but he has to let them that there isn't a chance of a relationship right now.

Clark and Claire are joined on the roof by Storm rising up on a wind dressed in her nightdress and robe. She lands gently on the edge.

"What's up Ms Munroe? How's Logan?" Clark asks...although he can guess Storm has found a way to 'ligthen' Logan's mood. Ugh, he hates having an enhanced sense of smell.

"He'll be fine," Ororo believes. She is only briefly leaving him...in their bed. Well her bed. They haven't moved in together or anything...not yet anyhow. However that isn't why she was here. She was getting a glass of water and suddenly realised there were other people who would be deeply affected by Rogue's defection that needed to be checked up on. Having spotted Clark blur past the kitchen window she eventually stepped outside after him and here she is. "Have any of you two spoken to Kurt?" she wonders because if anyone is the closest to Kurt it's Clark. Plus he has all those supersenses on which to call upon.

"I left a message for Amanda to come over," Clark answers that one.

Ororo has to give a nod to Clark's thoughtfulness. "Then that leaves Domino," she says as the monochrome mutant is the last family member. "Last I saw of her she said she was getting a drink." And hasn't come home yet which is what is concerning Ororo.

"I know where she is," Clark says with a sad inevitability about it.

"You do?" Claire asks in surprise.

"As this town's protector I know it's more, how shall I phrase it, shady spots. Dom prefers them. I see her in passing when she goes out. I know which one is her favourite. I'll check up on her, Ms Munroe."

Ororo nods in gratitude. "Thank you, Clark."

* * *

**The Bayville Legitimate Businesspersons Social Club...**

Yes. It's a parody off the Simpsons of the headquarters of the Mafia. The guy who owns it thought it real funny. It's a dive in a basement but Domino likes it. Has just the right level of atmosphere and shady patrons that appeals to her righteous sense of ripping off their money on a regular basis. One of these days she swears even these dumb-asses will figure out she has luck powers that means they can't beat her in any sort of game.

Then again she might be giving them too much credit.

Anyway Domino sits at the bar throwing back shots. Another hour and she's pretty certain she can get the pain down to a dull ache.

Domino hears the door open and then there is a virtual stampede as members run out. It peaks Dom's interest enough to turn her head and there, walking over in her direction, is Superman

"Oh come on!" the owner of the bar Willy, a small weasely Italian-American man with slicked black hair, complains. "You know every time you come here it takes them a month to work up the courage to come back," he points out to Superman. "You're going to put me out of business," he grouses.

"That's what you get for not being more discerning in who you serve Willy," Superman hits back, a smirk threatening to erupt onto his face, showing secretly, deep down, he enjoys this. "Besides if I hadn't put a stop to that protection racket you would be out of business and not here to complain at me," he reminds Willy. "Of course if I find out you've been breaking the law I'll shut you down."

Dom arches an eyebrow. This is good. She waits Willy's reaction. He's visibly sweating and polishing the glass in his hand to oblivion out of a nervous habit. God he's a piss poor liar.

"Uh, you know me Supes. I keep my nose clean. Don't get into that kind of thing," Willy claims, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"Right. Sure you don't," Superman says knowing for a fact Willy's lying but it's nothing too serious he is in so Clark generally lets it go. Plus Willy's good for info if you apply the right pressure. It helps Clark keep track on what Bayville's criminal element are up to. Welcome to his life. "I'm just here for her," he explains, pointing at Domino.

"I'm flattered!" Dom proclaims, already slurring her words.

Superman gets on the stool next to her. Claire had half-suggested she come with him but he politely turned her down and told her to go to sleep or failing that go to her room and spend time with her girlfriend. One of them, at least, should be able to have a happy, functioning relationship. It's probably really pathetic that's it his sister who has had a much more screwed up life than him. "I've already had to deal with one drunk mutant tonight just to let you know," he points out to Dom.

Dom snorts and pours herself another shot. She just bought the bottle. "Yeah and how was she?"

"Talks more than you but isn't even a tenth as funny."

Dom's eyes look up and move back and forth as she processes that. "I think that was a compliment."

"Well compared to Live Wire I find everybody on the planet an improvement."

"And that wasn't. So what brings you here really?"

"Someone had to check up on you."

"If you're here to lecture me..."

Clark cuts her off. "I'm not. You're entitled to drink if you want but you have to know no-one is giving up on Rogue. We'll get her back."

"I'll drink to that!" Dom declares as she throws the shot back.

"You are aware of what that will do to you, right?" Clark makes the point that at this rate she's going to feel hellish in the morning.

"Never get drunk unless you're willing to pay for it in the morning...and I'm willing to pay."

"So I know why I blame myself over this. Why are you?"

Dom throws another shot back. "I had a life once, you know. Before Stryker. I had friends and...other people who liked me despite my appearance. Then Stryker came along and that was the end of that. I couldn't do a thing to stop him. Then just to top it all off he made sure I couldn't do a thing to him in revenge."

"The chip," Clark knows she is referring to the control chip in her neck Stryker fitted to keep her obedient.

Dom rubs the spot where the surgery scar is, her face flashing in anger as she remembers back. They still haven't been able to remove it. "Bastard," she mutters under her breath about Stryker. "Anyway I adjusted. I adapted. Slavery isn't so bad once you learn how to be the good little dog, always do what you're told. Then you guys showed up and hey I had a sister! I had a home. I had a life again."

"You still have all those things," Clark points out.

"I have a sister who thinks I stabbed her in the back."

Well they're getting some way towards why Dom is drinking herself stupid. "She's not thinking straight and you never did that," Clark argues.

"Didn't I?" Dom questions as she throws another shot back.

"No. Dom if she got in your head you shouldn't let her. You've been the best thing to ever happen to her. I don't count myself on account of breaking her heart and all."

"Yeah. Wasn't I suppose to make you suffer for that?" Dom vaguely recalls saying something along those lines.

"What, your lame jokes don't count?" he asks, his grin just this side of goofy.

Dom bursts out into a laugh and throws back yet another drink, almost savouring the way the liquor burns its way down her throat.

"Dom, my advice do what you did when Rogue and I broke up, blame me. It's my fault."

Dom considers her response for a moment before dismissing his claim with a single shake of her head. "No. It wasn't."

"If I hadn't..."

Dom cuts him off, able to guess what he is about to say. "What? Saved her life? If you hadn't helped her that night she could have died. Better she's alive. That way when we catch up to her I can kick her ass and knock some common sense into her."

Clark totally believes Dom means every word of that.

"So what about you? You want to kick her ass. I'll give you the spot after me in the line."

Clark smiles sadly if anything. "Tempting. It is...a little. I'm not a saint and I would love to be able to knock some sense into her."

"Regardless she's a totally stupid bitch for teaming up with old Mags."

"Yeah. I'm a bit angry at that and for what she did to you guys. See even if your sense of right or wrong is impeded you can still rationalise and think through your choices and their consequences. In the end I think the part of her that rebels and isn't truly comfortable with being an X-Man has been amplified. In the end, under it all, I can say from experience it's still her."

"She did say she only agreed to join if we weren't harmed," Dom recalls a fact that seems to support what Clark is saying.

"I think that proves my point. The Rogue we all know is still there. We'll help her," he promises.

"Still going to hit her," Dom declares and throws back another shot. "Yo! Willy! Another bottle for me and my friend here!" she yells.

"Alcohol doesn't affect me, Dom," Clark points out. "And technically I'm underage," he also has to point out.

"How do you know, technically, that I'm not underage too," she says with a wicked grin.

Clark does have to say she has a point. Her ID may say she's 21 but since that's a fake she could well be younger than she claims to be. Dom has never been all that forthcoming about what her true age or birth date actually is. In fact like Rogue, Dom is not very forthcoming at all about her past. From Clark's observations of her whenever she vaguely mentions it he always catches a glimpse of some deep pain before she can hide it as if she is trying to bury the fact something terrible once happened to her.

Clark watches as she pours herself several more shots. Oh boy. She's going to be paralytic soon at the rate she is going. He better stick around if for no other reason than to carry her home after she passes out.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

The next morning Domino wakes up, her face smooshed into her pillow and suffering a stinker of a hangover. "Oh god, someone shoot me," she groans in complaint.

"I'm afraid I have to refuse that request."

Dom cracks an eye open and then swears at the way the light hurts.

"Come on sleepyhead. Time to wake up," the voice that is pounding into her head like a jack-hammer teases.

"Go away," Dom says, her voice rather pathetic sounding, waving her hand around in a vain attempt to hit her tormentor.

"I have painkillers," the voice offers.

Dom makes a pained noise. "They better be the best damn painkillers ever," she warns.

"Would I lie?"

Domino flops herself onto her back and manages to prop herself partially up against her headboard. The effort of doing so makes her queasy. There stands Clark holding out pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

Dom takes the pills and sips the water. She takes a moment. "How did I get home last night?" she asks.

Clark chuckles. "Don't remember, huh?"

"I remember challenging you to a tongue wrestling contest."

"Which I refused."

"Cause you knew you'd lose!" Domino claims.

"Lets go with that and not because it would so completely inappropriate to lock lips with my ex's sister."

Dom grins and then winces since that hurts too. "You know a lot of guys wouldn't have refused."

"I'm not them," Clark says seriously. He wouldn't take advantage of her in that state.

"Still trying to be that guy who's too good, huh?" she ask wryly.

"You did tell me to."

"True."

"And as for how you got home I carried you after you passed out on the pool table."

Dom frowns, trying and failing to remember that. She then peers under her bed sheets and sees she's only in her underwear. "Did you undress me?"

"No. You did that on your own...at the bar...as you danced atop the pool table shortly before you passed out," Clark explains, his cheek flushing slightly.

"Oh," is all Dom can think of to say as she does blush ever so slightly.

"By the way Mickey Mouse?" Clark queries about the motif of her underwear.

"What?" Dom asks as if she doesn't know why that would raise any eyebrows. "I like cartoons...and that sort of implies you had a close look," she insinuates.

"Everyone in the bar got a close look," Clark mumbles, which doesn't deny he did indeed get a close look. He would have stopped her except he had popped out because his hearing picked up a crime that needed dealing with and by the time he got back she was already halfway through her striptease routine.

"Liked what you saw?" Dom asks, teasing him.

"Ok I'm shutting down this conversation right here," Clark tells her. Between him and himself, the teenage boy in him can tell you Domino has an incredibly toned and curvy body so yes, he did like what he saw. However he is also a gentleman and restrains himself. Besides the last thing he needs is more women trouble and the sister of his ex is definitely a no-no.

Dom smirks. She's not missing he's not contradicting her. And why would he. Dom doesn't think it's her overinflated ego talking that she thinks she's downright sexy.

"How's the head now?" he queries.

"Slightly better. It's down to only a rock group playing on my brain." Dom closes her eyes and takes a breath.

"You going to be ok?"

"It's only a hangover."

"That wasn't what I meant."

"I know," Dom says softly. "Yeah. I'll be fine. What's on the agenda for today?"

"For you I think rest. For me I have to go warn Wanda she can no longer trust her friend."

"Good luck with that," Dom says in a tone that shows she's glad she isn't doing that. "Though you could just call her and avoid the mortal danger."

"Yeah like speaking over a phone would protect me from Wanda's wrath," Clark scoffs.

Dom may concede he has a point.

"No. I have to do this in person," Clark tells Dom. After all he and Wanda have a sort of pseudo-sibling relationship and he should tell her face to face. He turns to leave.

"Thanks. For keeping me company last night," she gives her gratitude before he goes. Dom is touched he chose to be there for her.

"What are friends for?" Clark asks back, as if it was just another thing he does. He then exits having not raised at all the thing Dom mentioned when she was drunk. He thinks she wouldn't have otherwise.

"_Wanna know a secret," Dom slurs as she leans over to whisper in Clark's ear. "Thurman is my married name."_

Yep. Domino confessed she was married at some point. She didn't say much else about it but Clark can make an assumption or two. Since she says Stryker destroyed her life...Clark had only fret what must have happened to that guy.

It's never leaving his lips. It's not his secret to tell. When Dom feels able to tell him or anyone else about her true life before Stryker is entirely up to her.

Clark needs to focus on the not so pleasant task at hand. Telling Wanda about Rogue. Maybe he should warn the authorities to evacuate New York.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sooner rather than later Clark does need to make decisions about his personal life and whether or not he really can afford the time for one...a proper one which does require time and effort to make it work and we'll get to him making a final choice on it all...or at least he believes it to be his final choice but the loneliness I think will always nag at him leaving a thread to allow myself to change my mind(which I sometimes do) about whether that truly is his final decision. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark catches up Wanda on recent events while the Professor receives a surprise visitor._


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

As Clark zips off to New York the Professor gets a surprise guest he never expected come to the mansion.

Or maybe he should have expected her.

Before now possibly.

She is shown to his office and offered a seat which she takes.

"Hello, Emma," Charles greets the forever immaculately dressed and styled woman. There isn't a blond hair out of place on her head.

"Charles," Emma Frost says with formal politeness.

"So are the hoards of Hellfire Club minions going to strike before or after we talk?" he asks wryly.

Emma actually smiles...a little. "Most amusing, Charles," she says. "But I'm afraid they'll be no hoards. Simply myself."

"Potentially much more dangerous," Charles remarks.

"Thank you," Emma says, taking it as a compliment.

"I'm surprised you didn't come sooner."

"I was waiting."

"For?" Charles queries, his left eyebrow quirking in an inquisitive manner.

"Magneto to make his move. It was rather predictable, drearily so."

"He won't stop me and never will you if that is why you're here. I intend to press on," he says as a warning before she even starts.

Emma briefly rolls her eyes. "Of course you do. Only the truly foolish never see what a shaky path they are on."

"Emma, if I may be blunt why are you here? I've already heard all of this from Magneto and various other people. I know you do not approve. You don't even have to say it."

Emma's response is in a tone of strict professionalism. She only ever rarely allows her true feelings to slip into her voice. Her gaze remains cool, collected and unruffled. "My personal opinion does not matter. Only what the Lord Imperial decrees...and spare me the speeches on the evil of the Inner Circle, Charles," she warns him off. She can tell from his expression alone she was about to get one of his lectures.

"Very well," Charles concedes.

"Now before I do explain my reasons for being here I have to know. Has Magneto stopped your plans?"

Charles sees no reason not to answer that. She should know he has no intention of being intimidated into stopping. "No. The police trial will commence within the next couple of weeks as planned. Magneto may have slowed down a wider roll-out but nothing more."

"In that case I have to inform you that opinion on you has changed within the Inner Circle."

"In what way?" Charles queries. Not that he personally cares what they think of him but if it affects his students he has to know.

"They've decided you're relevant."

"I'm flattered," Charles says sarcastically.

"You should be. It's spared your X-Men their inevitable defeat and humiliation. The Lord Imperial desires us...to be friends," Emma says and there is a slight distaste in her tone as she says it that shows she doesn't necessarily agree.

"I don't want anything from the Hellfire Club," Charles dismisses that, almost angry sounding.

"Yes. I did think you would react like that. Charles, like us or loath us we exist. We have great influence on government policy. We can aid you," she argues.

"I don't deny that. However, I do not like what the Inner Circle takes in return nor of your methods. Favours from you come at too high a price."

"Yes. I anticipated you would not accept our offer at face value but policy has changed Charles and I'll prove it in time. You'll come to see all the benefits a true alliance between us can bring. In that vein I hope you will give genuine consideration to engaging in some sharing between our two schools. Maybe some joint training sessions along with other activities we can participate in together. I leave you to suggest some ideas since you won't trust them coming from myself or my sister." Emma rises to her feet as she makes ready to depart. Before she does she has a few final words to give. "Personally I think you're making a dreadful mistake releasing the inhibition technology. Magneto is correct in one area. You cannot trust the humans with it."

"And I can trust the Inner Circle?" Charles ask sceptically.

"I believe that may be a touché moment there," she accepts in gallows humour.

"Why Emma? Why are you here, once again telling me something behind your sister's, and I'm going to guess, the Inner Circle's back?" Charles has to ask, his confusion clear because he just has this feeling that she wasn't told to come here and say this.

Emma speaks softer, giving a tiny window into the true woman underneath the mask. "Because I care. I care about the future of our species and your students are that future, no matter they follow foolish dreams, that is the truth."

"And you want to save them? Protect them?" Charles asks, his tone not hostile but gentile and lightly probing since it's rare to ever see Emma admit her true motivations.

"In a way. That's why I suggest much more interaction. Then they can see what a proper mutant team and school is like," she says with a smirk as the arrogant mask slips back on.

"And join you?" Charles guesses what she is thinking about what his students would do...or what she would wish them to do.

"Well given a free choice..."

Charles cuts in. "How many of your students would agree with my vision?"

"None of them," Emma fires back sharply.

"Come Emma. We both know Alison Blaire is only there because you bribed her," Charles reminds her, teasing a chink into her armour.

Emma dismisses it with a condescending wave of her hand. "Bribed is such a common term. I merely created the platform to make her desires, as shallow as they are, come to fruition and all I asked in return was the use of her powers in my team. A bargain at any price."

"You know perhaps I will consider your suggestion just so I can allow your students to see there is another path," he suggests with a wry smile.

Emma arches one perfectly maintained eyebrow in a manner that could be called intimidating. "Yes, well, whatever reasons you use to justify your choices isn't my concern. Only the outcome."

"Hmm, hmm. I see. I'll consider it Emma. That is all I promise, when I have the time. I have a lot to do."

"I can take the hint. I've overstayed my welcome," she says not really offended at all. She's delivered her message. She's done here. "When you decide you know where to reach me. In the meantime I can promise my students will demonstrate I am genuine starting immediately when they and the X-Men are at school."

"On your best behaviour?"

"I'm always the best," Emma twists the words slightly.

* * *

**The Sanctum Sanctorum...**

Wanda had been called to Dr Strange's study for reasons she did not know. She walks the corridors wondering how long it will take her this time. The corridors change and move at random. She was getting better at it though. It was like a new instinct. Instead of using her eyes or brain remembering the layout, you used a magical sense to guide you. If the sense was good enough you found where you desired to go at the first attempt. This house and it's ever shifting interior layout was designed to train that instinct into new apprentices because it can be a useful aid when faced with magical illusions. You can't trust what you see or hear but this new, raw and not yet fully developed instinct is much harder to fool. Not impossible. Nothing really is impossible. That is one thing she has learned.

All in all Wanda had to say her life here was pretty good. She had taken to magic and Dr Strange said she had an incredible aptitude for it and had learned half a years work in only 3 months. She had learned so much. Not all of it good. She had learned about demons and hell-dimensions and other planes of existence. It forces you to completely re-evaluate the way you see the universe...and if she could avoid another trip to the Dark Dimension that would be good as well.

Dr Strange's enemy Dormammu had kidnapped her and the other students and taken them there as bait for a trap. Luckily he underestimated just what a bunch of hacked off, hormonal teenage sorcerers and sorceresses can do and they all escaped...just.

Anyway at the rate Wanda is learning she would soon know enough of the basics and have enough control of her powers to be able to return to Bayville.

That's a nice thought. It's not that she doesn't like it here but the mansion is still more home to her. Although she isn't sure how she would react to this Bart she's heard about. Sounds too much like her brother. Though at least he's chosen to live at the mansion and not join her father. She has to give him points for that.

When she does return Wanda will miss her friend Jennifer Kale. They had bonded...Wanda supposes. Then again they had finally managed to find Jen's cousin Johnny and that was her main reason for being here. Jen only stayed now to help Johnny come to terms with his...ahem, curse is the polite way of putting it.

Mental note, never make a deal with Mephisto because the Ghost Rider...uh, yeah. That has to be seen to be believed.

Point is Wanda sadly thinks Jen won't be staying that much longer and she would definitely miss her.

Satana Hellstrom on the other hand Wanda would not miss. Damn half-demon succubus sorceress. Half the time Wanda swears Satana looks at her like a meal on two legs and the other half she wants to throttle the literal hell-bitch. Satana had no respect of boundaries or care for anyone's views but her own.

Ok, ok so Wanda probably should cut her some slack. Satana was raised in a hell-dimension but still on a bad day she can't help but wish to hex the succubus back to the hell she came from.

Wanda reaches the study and is stunned by who is there, dressed in his Superman costume. "Clark!" she cries happily, as a smile forms on her face. Since Dr Strange knows who Clark is she doesn't have to restrain herself from using his name.

"Hey Wanda," Clark greets her, his tone substantially more subdued. Though he has to say she's looking well. Relaxed and comfortable at her surroundings could also be applied.

Wanda picks up her stride and when she reaches him throws her arms around him in a hug.

Clark is a little surprised by the show of affection. He guesses this place has been really good for her in allowing her to be able to be more comfortable in expressing her feelings. He gently returns the hug.

They pull apart.

"I shall leave you be," Dr Strange says to allow Clark and Wanda to be alone.

"Thank you Dr Strange," Clark expresses his gratitude.

"Yes. Thank you, Master," Wanda says as well, addressing him formally as a student should address their teacher.

Dr Strange departs the room.

"So what brings you here?" Wanda asks, a curious eye on Clark.

Clark fidgets with his hands, ringing them as he figures out how to explain this. "It's...can we go outside and walk?" he suddenly asks.

Wanda looks at him puzzled.

"It's the magic in here. It doesn't sit well with me," Clark explains. He's been uncomfortable from the moment he stepped inside the building. He can feel the mystical energy. It makes his skin crawl and in truth he isn't feeling well being here.

Wanda does find it a little strange he would have a strong aversion to the energy but then again what does she know about how his body works. He's not human. "Ok," she agrees. "I'll just get my coat." Wanda stretches out her right arm to the side and snaps her fingers. Her scarlet red coat appears in her hand.

Clark raises an eyebrow. "You can just snap your fingers now and do magic?"

"For small stuff, yeah," Wanda informs him. "Although it's much easier in here because of the magical energy. Away from here I need to cast a proper spell while I do it." She slips her coat on and she and Clark make their way outside.

Standing outside the door Clark has to say, "That's a...unique place."

"It's ok. You can call it weird it you want," Wanda permits him, feeling he is trying to avoid saying the word and causing offence.

"Well weird is a matter of perspective. You should see my Fortress sometime."

"How is that going? You know learning from your father?" Wanda asks him.

"Good. It's..."

"It's?"

"A mixture of things. At first I was excited to learn about my people but then it kicked in that it's all gone. Every little piece of it except for myself and the Fortress," he explains with the sadness in his tone that he now feels.

Wanda reaches out and touches his arm in a gesture of comfort. Clark gives her a sad smile in return. They start to walk around the grounds of the Sanctum Sanctorum. Within the grounds the protection spells keep any passers-by noticing them. "So what brings you here?" Wanda returns to the topic in hand.

Clark takes a moment. "How much do you know about what has been going on these last couple of days?"

"You mean with my father?" Wanda guesses, the loathing and anger at her father still crystal clear in her voice.

"Yeah."

"I know the gist of it. I try not to pay attention to him," she explains what is her coping mechanism. She just tries not to think about her family all that much if she can help it.

Clark can then suppose she probably didn't see Rogue on the news. Otherwise she would have surely phoned by now to find out what was going on.

"Is it bad? The fallout?" Wanda wonders.

"It's not great," Clark admits. "Magneto dropped a factory on the White House lawn. He could have dropped it on the building if he had wished. It makes them nervous and afraid."

Damn her father! Why can't he see that his actions only make the lives of mutants more difficult, not better.

Clark gets towards the crux of the matter. "Magneto succeeded because he had help."

"Help? What sort of help?" Wanda asks, puzzled by what he means.

"Rogue," Clark says quietly.

"What about her?"

"She...helped him. She's joined him," he tells her with a moment's hesitation.

"She's what?!" Wanda screams.

Clark winces. "Wanda. Please, my hearing," he begs of her to tone it down.

"I can't believe this," she says, utterly stunned. She and Rogue, they had not all that long ago just moved past their mutual dislike and were friends and now this! "How could she?" she asks. "Is she out of her fucking mind?!"

"Actually, in a way, we think yes."

Wanda blinks and looks at him expectantly for an explanation.

Clark tells her about their working theory over Kal influencing Rogue. That basically it's his fault.

"I don't buy that, Clark. She can still make choices and she's making bad ones."

"It's not that simple Wanda. Trust me on that," Clark says from his experience. "You don't know what it's like. You're running on a power trip and only care about what seems like the funnest thing to do, not what the right thing to do is. She's not approved of this power inhibition technology and with her own inhibitions gone she made the choice that she thought would allow her to stop it. I doubt she gave it much more thought than that. I doubt she gave any consideration to what anyone and especially you would feel."

Wanda is steaming mad and is having to remember all her control technique to stop herself exploding with rage.

"Though," he must amend, "you're not incorrect either. She can still makes choices. As I said it's not simple and it's hard to explain to someone who hasn't gone through the experience. Look, I know you're angry, truth be told I'm a little more than annoyed at her myself right now but when you calm down I hope you don't give up on her. I'm not."

"You don't give up on anyone, Clark."

"Not true. I've given up thinking anything but hitting Lionel hard will put a stop to him...and I should probably apologise."

"Apologise for what?"

"Not giving your father that concussion I promised."

Wanda manages a small smile at that.

"About Rogue, Wanda. Don't give up on her," he repeats his request and then adds a warning, "but don't trust her either if she tries and contacts you. You can't trust her just like you can't trust me when Kal's running the show."

"So see her, hex her, got it," Wanda rolls off the summary.

"Uh..."

"Not a permanent hex. Just a little something to incapacitate her...and make her suffer for the rest of her life."

Clark can never tell when Wanda's joking because she rarely jokes and he has little information to judge what counts as a joking mood from her. "Um, ok," he says off-put.

Wanda frowns as she thinks of something. "What about your secret identity? Rogue knows who you are."

"She won't reveal it."

"How can you be sure?"

"I know her enough to know she won't do that. She didn't want her friends hurt when she left. Revealing my identity only puts my parents in danger. She won't do that. There's enough of the Rogue we know still around to stop her doing that."

"And if you're wrong?"

"If I am and my parents are hurt because of her then there is nowhere on this planet she can hide from me," Clark swears, deadly, deadly serious.

Wanda rarely hears Clark be so intensely serious. He's usually so light-hearted and gentle it's strange to see the other side of him.

Just then a phone rings. Clark's phone.

Wanda arches an eyebrow. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Clark? Really?" she inquires in disbelief at his ringtone.

Clark ignores her. He doesn't have a retort because he doesn't know what ringtone she's currently using. He pulls his phone out his pocket and can't believe whose ID it is. He shows it to Wanda. "It's her."

It's Rogue is what he means. "Goddess she has some gall!"

"Goddess?" Clark queries.

"Um, Wiccan now," she points out her religion of choice and that in her version God is female. "You going to answer it?"

Clark puts it on speaker so Wanda can hear. "Hello Rogue."

"Hey Clark!" she chirps cheerfully.

"You have some fucking nerve you know that!" Wanda shouts.

"Wanda? Oh hey hun, how ya doing?"

"How am I doing? You joined my father!" Wanda comes close to screaming in pure rage.

"Nothing personal, Wanda. Just business," Rogue chirps her reply far too easily and lightly for Wanda's liking.

"I am so going to hex you!" Wanda promises.

"Ya can try," Rogue dares her. "Ah'm sorry if you're upset but this is what ah had ta do for all of us."

"Oh please. Don't try and sell me that selfless sacrifice crap! If that was true you would never join my father. He's the most selfish man in the world."

Clark pulls the phone away from Wanda before she really loses it. "Rogue. You need to listen to me. You're not yourself," he tries and pleads with her to hear him out.

"Odd 'cause ah feel more lahke mahself than ha have done in a very long tahme," she argues.

"You're being influenced by a personality you absorbed," Clark tells her without saying who they all suspect it to be. "You need to come home, Rogue," he asks of her. "Come home and the Professor can help you."

"Yeah ah don't think so. Ah think ah've been brainwashed enough by tha Professor's naïve rubbish."

"Rogue..." Clark tries to argue with her but it's like he feared. She doesn't want to listen. Proved by the fact she cuts him off.

"Whatevah Clark. Even if ah am...which ah don't think ah am, why should ah stop doing what I feel is right?"

"Because it's not right. Your judgement is impaired. Please Rogue. All I want is to help you."

"Ah know ya do," Rogue says softly. "Ah nevah got ta say it ta ya before but ah did appreciate tha fact ya were willing ta talk ta meh before ovah this whole thing."

"Rogue, just because we broke up doesn't mean I stopped caring."

"Ah understand that. Ah do. Ah can see now that you and ah just wasn't meant ta work out. One of those things ah guess. We just weren't ready ta beh honest with and trust enough in each othah. Not grown up enough ah suppose. Ah'm not angry at ya any more, Clark. Ah'm passed that."

"Rogue, I know you don't want to listen to me but you have to..."

"No. Ah don't, Clark," she cuts him off. "Ah still care for ya but ah don't have ta listen ta ya. Ah only called ta let ya know a couple of things. Tha Swann lady...she's gone."

Clark frowns. "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"She vanished inta thin air...literally. From what ah hear must beh some part of her new mutant powahs. Some kind of teleportation powah is tha assumption. She hasn't shown up anywhere?"

"Not that I know of."

"Well Magneto no longah has her. Ah can promise ya that. Now my othah last favour for ya also involves Swann...or more accurately what ah and Betsy got up ta in relation ta her. Ah think ya should know tha truth about our little English rose."

"What do you mean, Rogue?" Clark asks, his confusion clearly written on his face.

"Oh well ya see Betsy...oh before ah say did ya know she wants ta get inta your pants by tha way?"

"Claire mentioned something along those lines, yes."

"Oh. Good for her. Anyway ah don't blame Betsy for that. As someone who has personal experience of the contents of your pants ah can definitely say ya make them feel lahke a real happy woman afterwards," she says and you can hear the smirk in her voice.

Clark blushes. She's still on speaker and Wanda heard that. A Wanda who is also blushing and trying to look anywhere but at Clark. He coughs. "Rogue," he says warningly. "Get to the point."

"Fahne. Fahne. Oh hey ah'll also just say your secrets are safe with meh, Clark. As ah said this is business mah joining Magneto, not personal. Ah have no wish ta see ya or any of y'all harmed."

"I believe you, Rogue. I only wish you would believe me when I say you need help."

Rogue snorts. "Sorry. Not buying that line. Anyway back to Betsy. Ya see she and meh...we decided that ya needed protection."

"Protection? From what?"

"Patricia Swann. Ya see it goes lahke this..."

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm kinda realising how long this story is getting and so to accelerate its conclusion I added the Emma scene for the very reason the Hellions will not be causing much trouble, at least nothing worth dedicating whole chapters to until my next story because I simply don't have time for it right now. Rogue just doesn't know when to stop causing trouble right now does she? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark confronts Betsy over Rogue's tattle-telling and the final wrap up of the fallout from this arc._


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

**At the Institute...**

The Professor was now meeting his expected guest as Bridgette joins him in his study. More informal for meeting a closer acquaintance that he would consider Emma.

Charles starts by repeating something he said over the phone to Bridgette. "As I said, Bridgette, we won't stop trying to find Patricia. I can only apologise for our failure."

"I hold Magneto responsible, Charles. Not you," the brunette woman assures the bald man she doesn't blame him. "I am worried about her but she would want us to carry on the work. I'm certain of that."

"We've already spoken a little over the phone and you were surprisingly optimistic about things," he says in a tone that requests she explain why.

"Yes. Well you see there was something I didn't tell Patricia and so Magneto can't know about it," Bridgette says coyly.

"Which is?"

"There is another factory. A back-up."

Charles eyebrows rise in surprise.

"It's not finished," Bridgette informs him. "Even if I accelerate the construction it's several months away from being fully operational."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Charles asks the pertinent question.

"After what has happened these last 48 hours do I need to explain?"

Charles is torn. It seems wrong to have deceived Patricia yet considering what has happened secrets are vital to have. "I can see why you did it, even if I may not necessarily agree with your reasons."

"I didn't do it to be popular, Charles. Patricia is so like her father. Both born optimists but sometimes you need someone to temper that with a healthy dose of realism."

"That would be your role," Charles assumes.

"Virgil knew what I was," Bridgette says, sadness clouding her features at the mention of the man whom she once loved. She quickly covers her pain. "So lets us be practical. Knowing this what will you do?"

As she requests Charles' response is practical. "As you know I am pressing on with the police trial. The duration of it should allow sufficient time for this new facility to be finished before any sort of wider roll-out."

Bridgette nods in agreement. "Sounds most sensible," she comments. "I'll continue to use the resources of the Swann Foundation to support you until Patricia returns," Bridgette vows. She then quickly adds, with a sad but hopeful smile, "We'll see Patricia again. I have faith in that."

Charles looks at the woman and feels her true pain that she is hiding. "Is she your daughter?" he asks, wondering whether that is why he can feel some very deep loss she is trying very hard to mask.

Bridgette shakes her head. "No. That was...someone else," she says with deep regret as if she missed out on something she might have had.

"There's more to family than biology," Charles says.

"That sounds like Virgil," she remarks with a nostalgic tone.

"Was he wrong?"

"No."

"Than she is your daughter in a way."

"I'll survive. I still have my faith. I'll see her again," Bridgette insists. She has to believe that. If she didn't she would break down and cry.

Faith is an important thing to have. Charles hopes she's right.

* * *

Elsewhere in the mansion everyone else is having a rest day after the strains of the last 48 hours. There are semi-concussions, sprains and bruises but thankfully nothing terribly serious. Everyone would recover.

Betsy had managed to restore her purple hair this morning and was now just hanging around in a sitting room listening to her music. The best thing was that the others with her no longer stood off of her. When she first arrived they were all suspicious and untrusting of her thanks to Mystique stealing her face but she had worked hard to gain their trust and now she felt they were truly friends...or getting there.

Betsy no loner sensed any unease due to her...or not much anyway.

And the reason she came here, her growing powers, it was better now. Jean and Uncle Charley had helped her immensely in the last 6 weeks. She felt much more in control. She felt like her life was on an upward trend. Now if she could just win Clark round to agreeing to be her boyfriend it would be perfect.

Speaking of Clark a gust of wind signals his arrival and he appears in his Superman costume, an extremely intense look on his face and his eyes boring into Betsy like he's staring down into her soul.

Betsy pulls an earphone out. "Uh, hi, Clark," she greets, a little put off by the intense stare she is receiving.

"Can I have a word Betsy? In private?" he asks, his voice the deep baritone he uses when he's being Superman serious.

"Ok," Betsy agrees, uncertain what this is about. Maybe he's seen the light and wants to ask her out. That's a positive thought. She rises to her feet and follows him out the room. She ends up following him outside to the porch area. She then watches him pace a little, obviously full of tension, his fingers curling and uncurling as if trying to figure out what to say.

Clark wasn't jumping to conclusions. As he said he's a pretty understanding guy. He didn't believe Rogue yet he had to ask Betsy. He had to know the truth. He stops and looks at her. "Rogue phoned me."

Betsy is caught in genuine surprise. "Uh, err, what did she want?"

"To let me in on a secret."

"What secret?"

"You tell me," he says flatly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Betsy says, looking innocent.

"So you and Rogue didn't conspire behind my back to 'protect' me from Patricia," he says acerbically, his words sharp as a whip.

Betsy physically cringes before she can stop herself. "Um, well, it's not like you think or whatever she claimed," she starts to defend herself.

"It's true then?" he wants her to confirm.

"Well sort of...but if you'll let me explain."

Clark shakes his head and doesn't really give her a chance to explain. "Unbelievable. Do I have the words 'naïve idiot' tattooed on my forehead or something?" he asks, his words clipped and short.

"No, no, no, no. Clark. It was never like that. I never thought you were anything of the sort," Betsy claims, though clearly she is on the defensive.

"Betsy I really, really hoped you would look me in the eye and tell me Rogue was just trying to stir trouble. Protect me? From what? What exactly do I need protecting from? I can take care of myself."

"I'm not doubting that."

"Yes, you are!" he accuses, his voice raised.

"No. I'm not! It was just...who was this woman who just showed up and knew who you were, Clark? Who came with an offer of a multi-billion dollar company to aid you. You can't see how that seems too good to be true?!"

"Even if I bought that Betsy, I think the real issue is that I would accept what you're saying, even if I think it's utterly misguided, if it was for selfless reasons but it wasn't was it?"

"W-what do you mean?" Betsy stammers under the effect of his accusing eyes.

"You were doing it to find dirt to get her out of your way," Clark repeats what was the summary of what Rogue told him. "Weren't you...and before you try any denials I'm aware you have feelings for me Betsy. So I ask you is that why you did it? To get her out of your way so you could get a clear shot at me?"

"...um, no," she says rather weakly which doesn't help her case.

Clark arches an eyebrow harshly. "Well it looks like you got your wish because from what Rogue told me Patricia's gone. After she was transformed into a mutant she vanished and no-one knows where. Believe me I looked before I came back here. The only question I want answered is just how in on this with Rogue were you?"

Betsy stares at him in shock. He can't possibly think...ok. Now she's pissed. "Just what the bloody hell are you accusing me of?!"

"I think you know!" Clark snaps back snidely.

"You've got some bleeding cheek! Do you think I would actually do that to another human being? Do you know me at all?!"

"No, Betsy. I don't know you. We've known each other what? A month and a half? That's not enough time to get to know someone all that well. And all I did was to ask you to deny what Rogue told me and you couldn't!"

"I can't believe you're listening to Rogue! She was in on it!"

"At least I'm reasonably sure she's not herself. What's your excuse?!"

Betsy is insulted, hurt and angry. "I don't need an excuse you pillock!" she shouts.

"So you admit it?!"

"I admit nothing because I didn't do anything like you're accusing! I never helped Magneto kidnap your little girlfriend!"

"She isn't my girlfriend!" Clark shouts back.

"Well I ain't bloody well going to be either! I'm not dating someone who thinks I'm capable of that!"

"Well since all I thought was that we were friends I don't think I'll lose any sleep over it!"

"Neither will I!"

"You know what Bets, I might have actually considered it if you hadn't been so damn petty and selfish!"

"And you know what Clark," Betsy says, her voice trembling with rage at his accusations. "You can kiss it! You can kiss it as it walks through the door!" she yells at him as she turns round and stomps back inside and away from him, slamming the door shut loudly as she goes. The nerve! To accuse her of that! Her petty? Where the hell does he get off? Well he's blown his shot because she isn't giving him a chance with her now.

Clark stares at where she Betsy stomped off, his eyes burning slightly red. He takes a minute to calm down. That...wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to get into a shouting match...but he is sick to death of people thinking he's a naïve idiot. Even Rogue gave him a little credit in that area.

"Dude, you alright?"

Clark turns his head to find Bart has appeared.

"I heard the shouting match," he explains.

Clark sighs. "No. Bart. I'm not alright."

"Anything I can do?"

"Thanks but no. I need some alone time. If anyone asks I've gone for a long run. Can you do that?"

"Sure. No probs," Bart assures him. He understands. Long runs help him clear his head too.

"Thanks Bart," Clark says and with that he zips off in a fairly random direction.

* * *

**At Magneto's base...**

Rogue was familiarising herself with the layout, whistling a happy little tune to herself as she goes as she thinks about the fact Clark must be confronting Betsy by now. She chuckles slightly at the image in her head.

Well she never did like Betsy all that much anyway and while Clark is a remarkably calm and understanding guy most of the time she knows better than almost anyone how to push his buttons and she made sure to push every single one of them during their chat.

Her companion who was giving her the tour looks at her oddly. "What's funny?" Frenzy asks.

"Oh just a little mischief ah'm causing," Rogue gives the vague answer.

Frenzy frowns. Magneto has wished her to keep an eye on their new member and help the Goth girl settle in, so to speak and she was happy to do so. From what time she spent so far with Rogue she seemed like she would be a good recruit to have but there was also this mischievous, rebellious side very close to the surface that Frenzy does not share. She lost that spark within her long ago.

"Need ta go shopping at some point soon," Rogue suddenly raises, raising a hand and extending her index finger as if laying down a marker. "Had ta leave most of mah stuff behind."

"I'm certain Magneto will permit that," Frenzy thinks. Shouldn't be a problem. Everyone needs to go shopping for clothes and things. "I shall speak to him about it."

"Thanks sugah," Rogue says cheerfully.

The two young ladies turn a corner only to come face to face with a man with extremely pale skin and red glowing eyes which soon turn their intense gaze to Rogue.

"I'd heard you had joined our cause," he says.

Rogue arches an eyebrow. "That so? And you are?"

"Sinister. Mister Sinister."

"Can't imagine why," Rogue rolls off drolly.

Sinister wastes no more time on niceties. "Come with me. I have a surprise for you."

A piece of Rogue is telling her to be cautious. This guy puts out some seriously creepy waves but her concern is overridden by her curiosity in this case. "Sure. Why not," she says with a shrug.

A powerful hand on her shoulder stops Rogue from moving. "**We'll** be there in a minute," Frenzy tells Sinister, putting much emphasis on the plural of we.

Sinister smiles slightly. "But of course," he accepts and heads in the direction of his lab.

Rogue's head snaps round and her lips is almost curled up on anger at being stopped. "What was that about?" she asks irately.

"Rogue. You can't trust Sinister," Frenzy passes on the warning Magneto passes on to his Acolytes. "We're allies yes but Magneto knows he is working his own agenda and when their aims no longer coincide...well it'll probably be very messy."

Rogue grins...roguishly. "Thanks for tha warning but ah know where mah loyalties lie."

"Ok then. Let us see what he wants," Frenzy accepts Rogue's words.

The two superstrong females walk on with Frenzy slightly leading to show Rogue the way. They enter Sinister's lab where they are greeted not by just him but a whole group of mutants. A few Rogue recognises from Alkali Lake. Ramrod, Hairbag, Gorgeous George and Slab.

Rogue finds they are all looking at her with a keen interest. Even for Rogue, with her currently overinflated ego and overflowing confidence she finds it disconcerting and a little intimidating.

Frenzy frowns deeply. What is this about? She doesn't trust Sinister as far as she could throw him.

"So hi y'all," Rogue greets them.

"They say hi in return," Sinister answers for them. "After all they have been so wishing to meet you."

"They have huh?" Rogue asks with a cocky grin. "Any particular reason?"

"Certainly. Doesn't one always look forward to meeting their sister?"

"Sister?" Rogue queries before her mind catches up. "Weapon X. They're..."

"Yes," Sinister confirms. "They are the children Colonel Stryker created. I've been finding and reuniting them for months now."

Rogue blinks. She never expected this. She never expected there to be so many of them. There was what? A dozen here as she does a quick count. Her family was...big.

For the shortest of moments a flash of guilt flows through her at the thought of family...the one she left behind. She shoves it aside quickly. She's done what she had to. End of discussion.

"Come now," Sinister says, his tone almost warm sounding. "Lets us all get to know each other," he proposes.

And with that Rogue can see she probably isn't getting out of this so what the hell? Might as well see if any of them is likeable.

* * *

**At the Institute...**

None of them had planned it. They hadn't talked to each other about it but somehow they had all gravitated to that one room at roughly the same time.

Kurt, Domino, Logan and Ororo stood in Rogue's room which was still exactly the way she had left it before they went on the mission.

They remain silent as they slowly wander around, looking and touching. Were they looking for anything in particular?

It wasn't like they expected Rogue to have left a note or anything.

Perhaps it was just still the disbelief she would leave them no matter what had twisted her mind round.

Sadly her room was not the cradle of what they sought.

Understanding.

Only one could give them the answers they sought and she wasn't here.

"So vhat do ve do?" Kurt asks as he gestures around the room. What do they do with Rogue's things.

"I do not know," Ororo replies. "I guess we should box it up. Put it all into storage until she returns," she suggests, focussing on the positive that Rogue will return.

"Do we need the room right now for anything?" Domino asks.

"Not at the moment," Ororo answers.

"Then we should leave it as is. Lock it up," Dom proposes. "Because she'll be back. I'm not giving up on her," she asserts strongly and with a determined glint in her eye. Yes, she had heard Clark last night and this morning.

"No-vone is giving up on her," Kurt makes point.

"Jinx is right. We lock it up," Logan agrees with that idea. Boxing it all away, even just to put into storage seems like they're giving up. Perhaps not true but at the moment, when it's still raw, it is what it feels like to Logan.

"Very well," Ororo agrees. "I'll let Charles know," she volunteers herself for that task.

"I'll go get some padlocks," Logan says, intent on fitting a couple of extra ones to make sure the room is sealed up until his daughter returns.

They all leave apart from Domino who pauses for a moment longer, lingering around. She isn't giving up on her sister. Not by a long shot. However she is reserving the right to kick Rogue's ass until her wayward sister is seeing sense again.

* * *

**At Magneto's base...**

After the meet and greet with her new 'family' Rogue found herself summoned to Magneto's private space. He desired to talk. Specifically about her now continuous strength and durability. She supposes she'll have to give him something. Though she intends to be as vague as possible.

"Ah absorbed someone...a little different and it left meh with some permanent changes." She then shrugs. "Personally ah kinda lahke tha difference it made ta meh."

Magneto eyes her curiously. "Who did you absorb?"

"Someone. Does it matter who? No. Not really. Just lahke most othah people in mah life it was a transitory thing. In mah life one minute and gone tha next." Rogue makes a very good job of making it sound unimportant.

"Hmm, hmm. I see," Magneto says dryly. He's not convinced at all by her but doesn't press right now. "And I also notice you no longer wear gloves," he has observed.

"Bonus side-effect. Ah can control mah absorption powers now."

"Side-effect from what?"

"Agreeing ta help ya does not mean ah am under any obligation ta answer your questions, Mags. As ah kept tellin' that jackass of an ex-boyfriend of mine and really, swear ta Gawd, wished he would have listened ta meh some of tha tahme, tha past is tha past. Doesn't mattah. How ah got here doesn't mattah. Only that ah'm here and here ta help ya protect mutants against what tha humans are up ta because the Prof ain't tha only one with tha inhibition technology ya know."

"I do know...and we shall deal with them," Magneto says determinedly.

"Goodie!" Rogue cheers mockingly. "Now if we're done ah would lahke ta go shopping since basically all ah have are tha clothes on mah back," she requests.

"Frenzy mentioned your request," Magneto confirms. "And I shall grant it. First if you will give me one more moment of your time there are a few other people I require to introduce you to."

Rogue rolls her eyes in a bored manner. "If ya must," she says in a complaining sort of tone.

Magneto gestures at the door and opens it with his power and entering moments later are the Brotherhood who Magneto finally got around to collecting.

"What is she doing here?!" Pietro cries as he points at Rogue.

"Wow. Such a warm welcome. Ah'm really feelin' tha love," Rogue sarcastically drawls.

"Rogue has decided to rejoin our cause," Magneto states it calmly and with absolute authority.

"Yay meh!" Rogue mock cheers. She chuckles at the disbelieving looks she is receiving. "Careful. Y'all will catch flies in your mouths," she jokes about how many of them have their jaws hanging open.

"You shall get the chance to..._catch up _later," Magneto decrees, "but I brought you here because with Rogue joining the Acolytes it frees up a particular person to take charge of the Brotherhood. She will be your new leader."

"She?" "New leader?" varying voice query in shock, despair and annoyance.

"Who?" Pietro demands to know, his frown deep. He was hoping he would be put in permanent charge of the Brotherhood. After all isn't he his father's son.

"Me," a deadly stern and serious voice from behind states.

The Brotherhood turn to find Frenzy standing there, her arms crossed over her chest. This was very unexpected. Magneto just sort of dropped it on her only a short time ago but however this came to be she will do as Magneto asks. Besides a small sadistic part of her is looking forward to try and whip this second string of losers into shape.

Many of the Brotherhood audibly gulp at seeing Frenzy. She was...uh, you never got on her bad side. Put it that way.

"Training room. Now," Frenzy orders.

"Right now?" Toad dares to ask.

Frenzy's eyes shoot to glare right at him. "Lets put it this way, Wart-breath. You walk there or I throw you there...through every wall between here and there. Take your pick?"

Toad swallows. "I-I'll walk," he stammers.

"Clever boy," Frenzy says though it's not a compliment. "March!" she commands, pointing in the direction of the training room.

The Brotherhood stream out leaving only one person behind. A person who has been in complete shock since the moment she stepped into the room.

"I'll let you catch up," Magneto says with a sly smile hidden under his helmet as she exits the room. What he never said there was that Rogue was joining the Acolytes so he can keep a close eye on her. He's not so foolish to just trust her. With her there though it meant there was one too many persons with superstrength and as he also likes to keep Colossus close that left Frenzy to drop out. Not a complete loss. Despite her relative youth she is a very disciplined person and works like a professional. She has a fair shot at sorting the Brotherhood out and it allows him to evaluate her leadership skills, hence he gave her the leadership job.

The person left in the room is a woman with red hair and blue skin who hadn't known at all why Magneto had asked her to come until she walked into the room.

Mystique swallows. "Rogue?" she queries at a whisper.

Rogue smirks. "Hey Mama! Surprise!"

Warmth blooms in Mystique's chest. Rogue called her mama. She always dreamed one day that Rogue would. "Is this real?"

"Well ah certainly hope so. After all ah don't think this is a dream. Usually ah dream about naked men."

Mystique gives Rogue a look only a mother can.

Rogue snorts with laughter and points. "Gawd your face!"

"That's not funny," Mystique snaps.

"Sure it is," Rogue insists. She walks up to the shape-shifter and looks her in the eye.

Mystique fingers curl and uncurl as she tries to resist the urge to hold her daughter after so very long of them being estranged. "Last time we met..." she starts to speak, her voice raspy.

"Oh that," Rogue says idly, remembering the night of the concert. "Yeah. Ah suppose ah should clarify mah feelings." Rogue looks away for a moment as if considering her words.

Then, suddenly, Mystique finds herself pinned up against the wall, an immensely powerful hand around her throat, her feet dangling off the floor. It was so quick it truly caught her by surprise. She finds herself staring into Rogue's face. A face full of anger and fury.

"Listen and listen good, Mystique," Rogue says, her voice dripping with venom. "Ya used meh. Ya lied ta meh. Ya manipulated meh all for your own ends and not ta do with mah own good. Ah have not forgotten and ah have not forgiven. Now we may be part of this whole Brotherhood of Mutants enterprise but for your own sake take mah advice and stay out of mah way. Don't and well...here's a demonstration of what will happen!"

Mystique gasps sharply as she feels her powers drain into Rogue. She somehow hadn't noticed that her daughter wasn't wearing her gloves. Rogue drains the blue-skinned mutant until she passes out and Rogue lets her drop to the floor in a heap.

Rogue's lip curls up in disdain as she looks down. Her mother. Right. Hell will freeze over first before she ever calls that sorry sack of crap that again. She walks out, leaving Mystique behind on the floor. After all she has much more important things to do. Now where's that teleporter to take her shopping?

* * *

**Parker Residence, New York...**

May Parker was...well she was concerned. Not overly so but a little. She is concerned over Peter. They were sitting at table having dinner and Peter...well Peter was quiet.

It was really disconcerting not to hear her nephew make his usual jokes or his endless babble.

Oh May is perfectly aware it is Peter's defence mechanism. It didn't really start until after Ben died. Now, however, a silence from him seems to indicate something is troubling him.

"Peter," she says softly.

Peter, who has been playing with his food, looks up into his aunt's kind face and can tell something is troubling her. "Yes, Aunt May?" he queries.

"Is everything alright?"

Well that's a matter of perspective but since he doesn't share his Spider-Man concerns with her he can only say, "Sure. Aunt May. Everything's great."

"Peter. What makes you think you can lie to me?" May asks.

Peter's head jerks up. "Lie?" he asks, his voice momentarily tense before he forced himself to relax. "What do you mean Aunt May?"

"I can see something is on your mind. Is it Kitty?" she guesses since there are only a few things she can think of that would have him this distracted and Kitty would be number 1 on the list. She is well aware they have grown extremely close.

Peter relaxes a little at the fact it isn't his big secret. He plays with his food a little more as he tries and come up with a response. All else failing he decides to tell her the truth. "Yes. It is."

"Did you two have a fight?"

"No," Peter says with a shake of his head. "It is..." he trails off.

"What, Peter?" May asks, her voice gentle and patient. "You know I'll keep whatever you say private."

Peter sighs and doesn't look at her in the eye. "Someone told me that...well, that Kitty might love me."

"Oh. I see," May says with a smile starting to form on her face.

"Do you?"

"She hasn't said it to you herself, I'm guessing," May figures out from his words that someone told him.

"No."

"And you're freaking out trying to decide whether to believe it and then what you're suppose to do."

Peter looks at his Aunt in genuine surprise. "H-how do you know that?" he asks because she basically nailed it.

"I was young once, Peter," May says lightly. She does understand the situation he is in. "I think a more appropriate question right now though is how do you feel about her? Do you love Kitty, Peter?"

A look of debate crosses Peter's features as if he can't decide on an answer. He's never been in love. Not really. He liked Gwen...a lot but he couldn't call it love what he felt. Felicia...that was more animal lust than anything even putting aside the influence of the symbiote.

"I'm not judging, Peter," May says, feeling she needs to assure him whatever answer he gives won't result in her being judgemental.

"I don't know," Peter says awkwardly as he fidgets in his chair, showing this conversation is a little uncomfortable about him. "What's love?"

May laughs, a delighted sounding one. "Oh Peter. Philosophers have been trying to figure that one out since the beginning of time but for you I suppose you should ask yourself the following. Picture what you have with Kitty now and then try to imagine if she was no longer in it. You see friends, no matter how close, you can imagine your life without them. Someone you love...it's impossible."

Peter looks at his aunt for a moment. Impossible. Is that how she feels her life is like without Uncle Ben? He does what his aunt asks and tries to imagine a life without seeing and talking to Kitty. Without seeing her smile, talking about the silliest things, holding her in his arms...

"I can't," comes the answer. He cannot imagine that.

"Hmm, then I think you have your answer," May reckons. "Now what you do about it...well you can't expect me to give you all the answers Peter." Basically it's not for her to tell him when or how he tells Kitty how he feels.

"I, um, need to think on it."

"Peter when the right moment comes you won't think about it. You'll just do it. Sometimes you can think too much."

"I think I've just been insulted," he drawls.

May smiles. There's his humour.

Peter looks down at his food and sighs. "I'm sorry Aunt May. I don't think I'm very hungry tonight," he apologises for not finishing his meal.

"That's alright, Peter," May forgives him.

"Can I go to my room?" he requests permission to leave.

"Of course, dear," May permits him.

Peter rises to his feet, exits the kitchen and heads up the stairs towards his room. He'll probably sneak out later and do some webslinging. It helps him clear his head and think. He gets up to his room and slides in to sit next to his window and looks out. When he left the Institute on Saturday night he had managed to avoid talking to Kitty about what Rogue said but he couldn't get it out of his mind.

Kitty loves him?

Really?

Peter isn't entirely sure what he's done to deserve her love. He definitely has worries about her being in his life. That she'll get hurt. However, Kitty never lets him push her away. It's almost like she knows somehow. Knows what he is thinking. It's spooky.

Then he thinks of her smile and her laugh, the way her long brown bangs flop over her face. His finger twitch as he remembers how he brushes them back to clear the way to claim her lips with his own.

Peter swallows. Uh, wow. It's incredible how strong a reaction Kitty draws from him even when all he is doing is thinking about her.

He has to tell her. He's got to stop letting his fears drive him. He wants her...badly. He has to tell her. He has to tell her he loves her. Holding it in...it feels like he would burst apart from within if he tried to do so for too long. He just has to find the right place and time and hope for once the curse of Parker luck doesn't strike him down.

Now that's not too much to ask is it?

* * *

**New York Mental Institution...**

Edward 'Eddie' Brock has no idea why he was dragged out of bed from his cell at this late hour. Nor does he know where he is being taken. The orderlies around here ain't the most talkative of people.

Not that he was sleeping. He has had trouble doing that lately. Whenever he does sleep he dreams only about one thing.

The symbiote.

He isn't sure why. It's almost like he can feel it, calling to him. The pull is so strong yet he can't answer it and the logical part of him knows that Spider-Man should have destroyed it.

Yet like he said he can feel it. The urges are going to drive him truly insane.

Eddie finds himself escorted down to the basement and a part of him really starts to worry. He tenses up, waiting for the moment to run for it.

"So guys care to fill me in why we're going on a tour of the basement?" he asks.

One of the orderlies punches Eddie in the stomach. "Can it Brock," he virtually hisses.

"Come now gentleman. That's no way to treat our honoured guest," a cackling voice speaks from the shadows.

Eddie sucks in a huge breath as he peers into the darkness. He can just about see a figure within. The figure steps forward. A figure in green and purple. A figure with a ghoulish green goblin mask. "You," Eddie says in disbelief that that crazy nut-job he has seen on the news battling Spider-Man is here.

The Green Goblin grins manically. "Yes. Me. Me, me, me, me, me, me!" he declares madly.

"W-what do you want?" Eddie asks, unable to stop himself stammering slightly.

The Green Goblin chuckles, his eyes alight with barely contained mania. "As far as you're concerned right now I'm your Fairy Godmother who will make all your dreams come true."

"That so," Eddie says with more than a bit of scepticism.

The Goblin reaches into the bag slung over his shoulder and pulls out a small glass tube. He brings it over to right under Brock's nose. "This look at all familiar, Edward?" he asks.

Brock looks down and within the tube is a black tar like substance that suddenly moves, trying to get out and reach Brock. "The symbiote," Eddie says in a desperate, longing gasp. He wasn't imagining it. It is calling to him. It is alive.

"A tiny piece of it, yes," the Goblin confirms as he shoves it back in his bag. "Do I have your attention now?"

Brock gazes up directly into those yellow eyes of the mask. "What do you want?" he asks because he'll do almost anything to get his 'Other' back.

"Nothing but to aid you. We have a common enemy you and I."

"Spider-Man," Eddie spits out with anger.

"Do you want your power back, Edward?" the Goblin asks, his voice almost charming and seductive sounding. "Do you want to get out of here? I can do it so no-one even knows you're gone. Spider-Man will never see you coming," he lays down the temptations.

"There's a price. There's always a price," Brock knows.

The Goblin waggles a disapproving finger into Brock's face. "Oh the young today. How cynical you are," he complains, sounding hurt. He chuckles. "I know the symbiote takes knowledge from who it bonds to. Before you it was bonded to Spider-Man. You know who Spider-Man is don't you Edward."

"How do you know that?" Brock asks, surprised how much the Goblin knows.

"I'm a man of many talents. Admittedly 90% of them is how to blow stuff up but hey who doesn't enjoy an explosion or 10 huh?" he says with an insane laugh.

Eddie is thinking that this guy more belongs in this place than he does. "You want Spider-Man's identity," he assumes.

"Nope," the Goblin says, surprising Brock again. "I just know you know it and if I restore your power all I want from you to make his life hell before you finish it. I will restore your power to you Edward and even let you destroy Spider-Man if that is what you want to do. All I ask is for a good show so I can kick back, enjoy some popcorn and have a good laugh."

Eddie doesn't know what this guy's game is but it doesn't matter. If he can become Venom again he'll have the power to crush this loon if it is some kind of double-cross. "Alright. I agree," he says. He was planning to make Parker suffer first anyway.

"Excellent!" the Goblin cheers. "Then the end of Spider-Man is at hand!" His lips then curl up into the most insane grin Eddie has ever seen and he almost back off, wondering if he has made a mistake in making this agreement as the Goblin bursts into a fit of his insane cackling laughter.

"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

* * *

_Author's Note: Clark's misplacing his anger and he will be called out on it at some point. A couple of people pointed out that it was odd that Rogue would rejoin Magneto after all the lies and manipulations she has suffered and I wrote the little scene with Mystique to show that Rogue hasn't forgotten any of it. She's just overlooking it because it's convenient for her...and oh yes, Peter may be finding himself face to face with his worst nightmare quite soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; It's Clark's 18th birthday but he is not in a celebratory mood._


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

**At the Institute...**

It was approaching the end of February and for Clark that meant it was approaching his 18th birthday. He wasn't really in a celebratory mood. He was still brooding over Rogue, Betsy and the whole Patricia Swann situation.

Betsy was still ignoring him and well frankly he was ignoring her in return.

Yes. He was still angry and he felt justifiably so.

Although a few other people had disagreed with him on that.

Another morning he is up bright and early to help his mother with the breakfasts...and like every morning lately he can feel her gazing into him. He sighs. "Something the matter, mom?" he asks, his voice soft and inquisitive. He could never snap at his mother...short of being on red kryptonite that is.

Martha's eyes fill with a motherly concern. This last week or so she has seen the anger and tension that plagues her son. She knows what drives it.

Betsy.

And Martha was...more disappointed in the girl than angry. The Professor had felt the same if the lecture he gave her after the truth came out was anything to go by.

Betsy had sworn absolutely she knew nothing of what Rogue was planning nor what was going to happen to Patricia Swann...of whom there was still no sign. The Professor was certain Betsy was being honest so there we are then.

The Professor had tried to find Patricia with Cerebro but couldn't. Could Rogue be lying about it? Possibly. In the end the issue is they can't do a great deal about it. They can't find Patricia. There is no sign of her anywhere. If she did escape from Magneto like Rogue claimed then she has simply, seemingly, vanished off the face of the Earth.

Rogue. Martha didn't know where to start. If the girl was indeed being influenced by Clark's other side then it was hard to be angry at her. More a despair of being helpless to assist in anyway.

"Mom?" Clark queries again at her silence in response to him..

Martha gets right to the point. She was never one to sugar coat things much. "Clark, how long are you going to continue to ignore Betsy?"

Clark shrugs. "I don't know. How long is an aeon?

"Clark," his mother says a tad sharply.

"What?" he asks, as if he doesn't get why she is badgering him.

"Did you ever think that you're misplacing your anger?"

"Misplacing?" he asks, his expression clueless.

"You're transferring your anger on to Betsy instead of the person it's actually aimed at," Martha proposes.

"Like Rogue," Clark guesses.

"That's one possibility."

"Even if I go with that, which is not an acceptance by the way."

"Uh huh," Martha says idly. Keeping a curious eye on Clark and his thought processes.

"I would still be annoyed at her. Unless you're telling me what she was up to, sneaking around behind my back, 'protecting' me, was perfectly alright?" he asks, his face intense.

"No, Clark. It's not alright," Martha agrees with him on that front up to a point. "It's more her heart was in the right place even if her choices were bad."

"Was her heart in the right place?" Clark asks his mother bluntly. "Apparently, so I keep getting told, it was all a plan so she could jump into bed with me."

Yes. Martha had heard that from Claire. Her daughter really doesn't know when to keep details to herself. She almost misses the old angry, silent Claire. Clark on the other hand never use to be so forthright himself. She is starting to wonder whether if this is a result of Jor-El's handiwork when Clark goes up to the Fortress. "Clark, I think you're oversimplifying," she critiques his analysis.

"Maybe I am but frankly mom I think I've had enough of any relationships for the minute."

"So you're using this as an excuse to push Betsy away?" Martha wants him to clarify, a mixture of confusion and worry.

"No. It's not an excuse," Clark objects strongly to that description. "I have every right to be angry at her. Why would I want to date someone that selfish? Might as well give Ali that date she wanted if that was the case."

Martha could argue whether Betsy is selfish but she already made that point and he's arguing it. They're going round in circles. He doesn't want to listen to advice right now it seems. "What about Andrea? Are you going to push her away too?" she asks. Martha knows Clark's at the very least attracted to the young Latino woman but if he's wanting to quit relationships he has to sort that out as well.

"Actually I did talk to her," Clark says in a sombre tone.

Martha is surprised to hear him say that. "And?" she inquires for what happened.

"I told her I couldn't keep doing this one step forward, one step back dance. Not that I was mocking her emotions or feelings. I wasn't. I know, you know, she has deep pain over her own mother's death. I tried to be as gentle as possible and I think I got across my point that if she needs a friend or some help I'm still around but that's it."

Martha sighs and looks forlornly at her son. There are a very few times she doesn't understand him completely. A very few times when she looks at Clark and sees the alien. She isn't certain this is one of those times. His distancing himself from people could be construed as a very human reaction as well.

Martha looks down at Shelby sitting at her feet and it's almost like his expression is asking the same question.

What are they going to do with Clark?

* * *

Later that morning the usual breakfast madness descends on the kitchen.

Jamie finds himself still stuck between Paige and Rahne and no he can't decide between them because if he chooses one over the other he figures the other will kill him yet if he doesn't choose then both will probably kill him.

So far neither has asked him to Sadie Hawkins dance in a few weeks...yet but what does he do when...ok don't get too far ahead of himself, if one of them asks him.

Jamie can only come to one conclusion. He is so dead.

* * *

"You're ashamed of me aren't you?" Tabby says to her bestie Amara, pouting.

Amara turns her head and looks at Tabby utterly confused. "Of course I'm not ashamed of you. Why in the name of the Gods would you think that?"

"Because you won't introduce me to your secret boyfriend," Tabby argues her case. She knows Amara is seeing someone but who she can't prise from the Nova Roman Princess' lips no matter what threat or bribe she tries.

Amara rolls her eyes. Tabby's been badgering her on this issue for ages. "That's not it at all," she insists. "I just don't want to scare him off by dropping all this," she gestures around the room, "on him too soon." It is just a feeling Amara gets from him that he isn't quite ready to meet her friends. Although she would like to think one day soon he will be. Amara really quite likes Manuel.

"You are ashamed of me," Tabby whines, her lower lip wobbling.

"Oh good Gods. Don't even try the fake wobbly lip, Tabby. You tried to teach me that one," Amara waves Tabby's attempts at emotional blackmail off.

Tabby frowns. _'Damn!' _she thinks to herself. She did try and do that. She'll have to remember not to show off all her secrets in future.

* * *

"So dude," Bart addresses Clark, managing to pry himself away from his and Jubilee's usual morning banter/flirting. If the two of them were old enough they would be told to get a room frankly.

Clark looks at Bart, his expression almost pained because who knows what random thought has struck Bart this morning. He takes one moment to feed Shelby a morsel of food and pat the big dumb dog first.

"It's your birthday in a couple of days right?"

"Yeah."

"You don't look that excited," Bart has observed.

"It's just a birthday, Bart."

"Dude. No it isn't," Bart argues. "It's your 18th birthday."

"I'm attending your surprise party that you tried to plan and forgot I have superhearing. I'll even look surprised. What more do you want?"

"Wow. You're really on a downer aren't you?" Bart criticises.

Clark groans. "I'm just not in a great mood, alright Bart."

"Ok, ok," Bart concedes. "Can I ask you about something else?"

Clark sighs. "Go ahead," he permits.

"Well it is just Jubilee mentioned this thing, Sadie Hawkins?" he inquires for clarity.

Clark clarifies it for his room-mate. "The Sadie Hawkins dance. It's the spring formal at Bayville High and if she mentioned it it could be because she was asking you to it. The girls ask the boys to it."

"Whoa, dude. I mean...whoa," Bart says speechless. A feat Clark thought impossible.

"So is that a yes you'll go with her?" Clark queries with an amused grin, taking advantage of perhaps the only time he has seen Bart lost for words.

"Yes, Bart. Is it?" Jubilee asks, butting in, a huge evil grin on her face, and a glint of expectation in her eyes.

"Um...I, really don't have anything to wear to something like that," he gives a weak excuse.

"We'll buy you something," Jonathan now steps in, joining in the fun of piling in on Bart.

"And I'm going to get this awesome dress!" Jubilee proclaims. She didn't have a date for last year's dance and she isn't missing out on this one. Not when she has a sort of unofficial boyfriend. She continues with a description of her dress, an impish grin slowly growing as she speaks. "It's yellow and strapless and well some people like Logan might think it exposes a little too much skin..."

Logan's attention finally seems to be grabbed. He usually tunes the morning madness out and lately he's had the distraction of the loss of Rogue on top of that but he heard that. "No freakin' way in hell, Firespark. You ain't wearing anything like that!" he forbids her.

Jubilee pouts. A look of amusement fills her eyes at any day she gets a rise out of Logan. "In case you forgot I'm 16 now!" she argues.

"Which still makes ya a minor!" Logan barks back.

"It's the 21st century and I'm a sophisticated 21st Californian girl!"

"Read my lips Jubilee. Over. My. Dead. Body," Logan emphasises every word.

Jubilee shoots him a dangerous grin. "Whatever it takes, Wolvie," she promises.

Logan lets out a groan of exasperation.

Meanwhile Ororo tries desperately not to laugh despite herself. It's just perfect the way this tiny part-Asian girl can so confound Logan.

A few people do snigger, Clark included. He won't be going to the dance this year. That's pretty much a certain.

* * *

Kitty walks into the kitchen, late for her, talking animatedly on the phone, Lockheed flying behind her, following her. "But daddy!" she protests strongly against something her father must be saying. "That's really not necessary daddy. Why isn't my word enough?" Kitty frowns deeply at whatever her father is saying in reply. "And does mom agree with this?...I see," she says icily. "Well I obviously can't, like, stop you, but just promise me you'll have an open mind, please?" Kitty's whole posture falls into one of reluctant acceptance of something she can't stop. "Ok. I'll see you and mom soon. Love you," she signs off. She the finds the kitchen in silence and everyone looking at her.

Kitty rubs her arm awkwardly. "Uh, you know, I'm, like, really not hungry this morning," she says and then uses it as an excuse to turns around and leave. Lockheed is hungry and stays, eyeing Bobby's plate.

The ice-generator has his eye on that overgrown lizard. They still don't get along with each other.

Jean watches Kitty leave and decides she'll go talk to her. With Rogue gone...and god was Kitty upset over that. With Rogue gone, Jean is now, more or less, Kitty's best friend by sort of default.

* * *

Jean catches up with Kitty as the brown haired girl is in her room packing for school. "Kitty? Everything ok?" she asks, in a soft voice of concern.

Kitty thinks of saying 'yes' but with a defeated sigh says, "No."

"What's wrong?" Jean asks, her face open and caring.

"My parents are flying over in a couple of weeks, as soon as they can arrange a few days off work."

Jean frowns in confusion. "Why?" she asks, not having recalled Kitty saying anything about why the sudden urge for her parents to come.

"They want to meet Peter," she gives the reason and you can tell she isn't happy about it.

"Oh."

Kitty sighs again and sits on her bed. Her whole posture slumped in defeat. "It's, like, totally, my fault."

Jean sits next to Kitty. "Why do you say that?"

"I was talking to my mom the other day and well I might have kinda mentioned, you know just casually slipped it in, that I...I, uh...I think..." she takes a deep fortifying breath, "I think I love him, Jean."

Jean erupts into a smile. "Oh. Is that all."

Kitty frowns and snaps her head round in Jean's direction. "What do you mean 'Is that all'?" she asks in a tone that borders snide.

"Kitty, it's been kinda obvious for weeks you love Peter. I'm a telepath remember. It comes off you in waves."

"Oh," Kitty says. "It is just...god Jean I've never, like, ever felt like this about anyone. Not even Lance. With Peter I just...god the things I want to do with him, to him."

"Ok, ok. Kitty, please try and reign in the visuals," Jean begs with a small face. Some days being a telepath sucks. She so doesn't need the images Kitty's mind is barraging her with.

"Sorry," Kitty apologises with a blush colouring her cheeks. "It's just all I can think about when I'm not with him is the next time I'm going to see him. Next time I'll hear his voice and his jokes and kiss him...and, you know, I've even starting thinking about the _other _stuff. I just want him, period. I can't imagine not having him in my life, you know?"

"Yep. That's love alright. That's how I feel about Scott."

"Really? But you're like an old couple," Kitty says, her face twisted in a sort of almost distaste for the concept.

"Old?!" Jean protests.

Kitty's lips curl up into a teasing grin, showing she is pulling Jean's leg.

"Not funny!"

Kitty giggles. "Yeah. It is...but seriously you still feel like that for Scott?"

"Course I do."

"But you fight?"

"All couples fight. It's exactly because of the passion you have for each other. Don't you and Peter fight?"

"Occasionally. Mostly over his over-protectiveness. He keeps trying to keep me out of the Spider-Man side of his life out of worry. He's just a big doodoohead. He has to understand that he needs...well support and that's me!"

Doodoohead. Sorry, Jean just has to find that funny. Kitty can't swear at all. The strongest thing she has ever heard Kitty say is 'eff off!. "Boys are dumb," Jean chooses to say in reply.

"You don't hear any argument from me." Kitty looks at Jean. "How did it go again when Scott met your father?" she asks, looking for advice.

"It wasn't as bad as Scott feared and you're probably imagining with your own father. It's mostly for show to try and see how serious your boyfriend is and will he take care of you. It's like 90% bluster."

"Hmm, except Scott doesn't make jokes every 10 seconds."

"That's true."

"Scott doesn't have a sense of humour."

"That's...hey!" Jean protests. "He so does have a sense of humour."

"When?" Kitty asks the very apt question.

"Ok, I'll admit he doesn't show it very often but he has a sense of humour," Jean defends her man.

"Well I guess you are a telepath so if anyone can find it it's you but you know Peter's jokes are just a defence mechanism. It's just daddy won't see through it like I can."

"Wow. You really do understand him don't you?"

Kitty shrugs. "We all do it. Rogue's way was to become inward and brood. Peter is the opposite. He hides himself under this joky mask."

"And you?" Jean asks after.

"Tons and tons of ice-cream."

"Yeah. That's a good way," Jean agrees.

"Murder on the hips," Kitty comments.

"Tell me about it." Jean has to say though she is actually happy for Kitty. Like she said she can feel Kitty's feelings for Peter and love is such a nice emotion to sense when it's pure. "So, uh, Kitty, that _other _stuff you mentioned. You haven't done any of that have you?" Jean inquires in friendly concern.

"No."

"You talked with Peter about it?"

"No."

"You'll have to, you know, if you truly feel you want that."

"I am aware Jean. I'm 17. Not 7."

"Ok, then," Jean accepts.

Kitty rubs her face. "Ugh, how am I, like, going to tell Peter about my parents?"

"Best just to come out and say it," Jean advises. "You know honesty is the best policy, especially in a relationship."

Kitty just nods slowly. She supposes Jean is right. God, when her parents get here...that's going to be a looonnggg night.

* * *

**At Bayville High...**

Couple of days later Clark is going through the motions of school before his big birthday party tonight.

Really he could do without it.

With Rogue's betrayal, his continuing frosty relations with Betsy and his continuing failure to find not only Patricia but Lana as well(Patricia's disappearance only seemed to remind him of his failure over Lana) his mood, his heart, just isn't in it no matter how big a milestone it supposedly is to turn 18.

As he wanders into the dining hall at lunchtime he looks for a place to sit. Away from Ali and the Hellions is usually number 1 on his list on how to decide where. Although the Hellions have been, mostly, on their best behaviour lately just like Emma promised. Ali was...well Ali and Clark had no desire to get sucked back in to that world.

Turning to his friends raises the issue of Betsy who frankly just gives him glares that would make anyone run in the opposite direction.

He spots a fairly empty table with only one person sitting. A Hellion actually but the nice one...at least according to his sister.

"May I sit here?" he asks.

The girl in the black veil that leaves only her eyes visible looks up with genuine surprise in those very eyes before she nods an affirmative.

Clark sits down. "I'm Clark, by the way," he introduces himself since he has never done so before. "You're Sooraya, right?"

"How-how do you know my name?" she asks, startled that he does. She had never talked to him before.

"Claire told me," Clark replies genially. "I'm her brother."

Sooraya takes a moment. She hadn't given much thought about the fact Claire could have a brother. She didn't know Claire all that well. They were never very close when Claire was a Hellion. In fact Sooraya doesn't know any of her teammates that well. She is very different from all of them. She tries to follow her beliefs and tenants of her faith as close as she can. Her gaze takes a moment to study the, as far she knows, human boy now sitting with her. "P-please forgive me if this is too forward but may I ask you a question?" she requests, her curiosity peaking about something.

Clark smiles gently. He's finding her shyness cute. "Certainly," he permits her.

"You're human yes?"

"Well what's human," he avoids directly answering the question. "Although I don't think that was your question," he teases.

"N-no. It is just why would you live at the Xavier Institute? They're not your kind."

Clark gives the best answer he can without revealing the truth of himself. "Because after hearing what the Professor desired to do at his Institute, my parents and I wanted to help. Simply put we wanted to do what we thought was right. After all doesn't the Koran teach us to strive to do good?"

"Y-you...you've read the Koran?" Sooraya asks in real surprise. "You're not Muslim," she assumes.

Clark smiles. "One does not need to be a Muslim to find wisdom in the words of the Prophet, peace be upon him."

Even if you can't see her face it's possible to tell Sooraya's face has lit up into a smile under her veil from the almost joyful gleam in her eyes.

"Sooraya," a stern voice interrupts.

The boy in glasses and the girl in the veil look up to see the redhead girl that is Angelica Jones standing there, looking none too happy at this scene.

"Why are you talking to him?" Angelica demands to know, not caring Clark is right there and can hear her.

"Why wouldn't I?" Sooraya asks back, a voice of total innocence as if she is unable to conceive of a single reason that she has done anything wrong.

Angelica opens her mouth to respond and nothing comes out because she can't think of a single reason. She had snapped, almost on reflex, at seeing Sooraya chatting to the human boy who happens to live with the X-Men but it suddenly occurs to her that if their orders are to make nice with the X-Men then she should probably make nice with him as well.

"Sooraya was kind enough to allow me to sit next to her and I initiated the conversation," Clark says in her defence.

Angelica looks at him intensely. She doesn't hate humans by the way. Not at all. In fact she may secretly think the two Ms Frosts go a bit over the top with the whole thing about their superiority to humans. She can see they do have some advantages over humans...although when your power allows you to cook the people you love in seconds, and Angelica may have almost did that to her father a couple of times, you could argue powers such as hers are a disadvantage. She considers his words. "I see," she replies blandly as she sits down. "Sooraya, I apologise if my tone was a bit sharp," she says.

Sooraya accepts the apology without word.

"And I'm Angelica Jones," she introduces herself to Clark.

"Clark Kent," he says back.

"H-he's Claire's brother," Sooraya mentions.

"Is he now," Angelica says frostily. Claire wasn't exactly on her good list. In fact quite the opposite. She was still mad at Claire for leaving and in fact hadn't really talked to her former friend since the Hellions arrived in Bayville and had no intention of starting any time soon. After all what was there to say? Claire up and left without a word or consideration of their friendship so why on God's green Earth would Angelica act any differently. She is just following Claire's _stellar _example.

Clark can tell from that tone a nerve has been struck. It's like how Betsy talks to him at the moment whenever they exchange a very few words. This could be awkward.

Scratch that. This is definitely going to be awkward.

* * *

**That evening at the Institute...**

It's a party.

It's his party.

Yet even at the risk of stupidly repeating himself he isn't in the mood.

But he has no desire to ruin anyone else's mood who is enjoying the party so Clark has been feigning he's having a good time.

For anyone who knows him well enough they can probably see right through it.

Well, maybe, except Chloe, who had managed to wrangle herself a lift here and was currently making 'goo-goo' eyes with Bobby.

Seriously, Clark doesn't know how they pull it off being so far apart and not seeing each other very often but they still have a functioning relationship...which is more than Clark has.

Clark wanders over to someone else who is looking mightily distracted. His friend Peter Parker. "You alright Pete?"

"Hmm," Peter says, caught out, lost in his thoughts. His thoughts over his feelings over Kitty and how to tell her.

"Are you alright?" Clark repeats.

"Sure. I'm good. Great. Fantastic. Like a million bucks."

Whenever someone has to list it like that you know they're lying. Clark lets it pass. It's not the place to talk about it. "Thanks for coming," he says instead.

"Hey and miss out on my partner in crime's 18th? What kind of friend would that make me?"

Clark smiles. "Well thanks anyway," he says gratefully. He knows it is something for Peter to come all the way here from New York.

Kitty comes striding up. She needs to pull Peter away for a moment to tell him about her parents more than likely visit to assess whether Peter is suitable boyfriend material for her and this is her first chance to do so since they told her of their decision to come. Ugh, she is never speaking to her father again. She swears she can't be more embarrassed than she is right now.

That leaves Clark alone briefly until his father comes over. "You alright, son?"

"Course dad," Clark tries to reassure his father.

Jonathan looks sceptical. "You don't look like you're enjoying yourself," he has observed. If anything Clark's in one of his dark, brooding moods again.

"Dad, I made no secret of the fact I really didn't want a fuss," Clark reminds him what he said in regards to his turning 18...many, many times.

"How long is this going to continue, Clark?" Jonathan asks, sounding almost exasperated.

"How long is what going to continue?" Clark asks, his tone bordering on the hostile.

"You holding in your anger and brooding," Jonathan lays down what he thinks Clark is doing.

"I'm not brooding," Clark objects. "I make a distinct effort to stop doing that."

"You're not moping around in your room, I'll grant you," Jonathan concedes. "That doesn't mean you're not brooding. So what is it? Rogue? Betsy? The disappearance of Ms Swann?"

"All of the above. Life in general. Take your pick."

"No need to be smart Clark," Jonathan mildly rebukes his son.

"What do you want me to say, dad? I'm annoyed at...all those things and worse there seems little I can do about them right now," he says, his very aura one of frustration as he makes gestures with his hands which don't reflect anything beyond he hasn't a clue how to sort out the issues in his life.

"You can sort things out with Betsy," Jonathan points out one thing that is currently within his son's power to sort out.

"Dad, mom already tried that talk. I'm not ready to forgive her yet."

Jonathan rubs his head. Clark could be unbelievably stubborn sometimes. It seems like his son would almost rather brood than sort things out. "Ok, Clark. I'll accept that but don't think this is the end of this discussion," he warns.

"As if," Clark mutters.

"What was that, son?"

"Nothing."

Jonathan looks around the party and everyone else is having a good time. Chatting, eating, some dancing to the music. "So why didn't Lois come with Chloe?"

Clark looks at his dad like he's suddenly grown a second head. "You are aware Lois and I don't get along right?"

"I didn't think it was that bad. Besides she was here for Chloe's party."

"And considering what happened there you're surprised she didn't want a return visit?" Clark asks wryly.

Jonathan chuckles lightly. "Ok, you might have a point," he accepts considering what happened there with Isobel. "Still why didn't she come...or your friend, Andrea?"

"Lois is helping Andrea with a story and they needed to meet a source tonight. It couldn't be put off," Clark gives the real reason.

"Lois is helping, really?"

Clark chuckles wryly. "Yeah. That's what I said when Chloe told me but no, she seems really serious on trying to be a reporter. She's even applying to colleges and such so I'm told."

"Well that's good," Jonathan says. It's good for Lois to have set her mind on something to achieve.

* * *

**Metropolis...**

"I can't believe he didn't show," Lois Lane complains as she sits at a bar drowning her sorrows in alcohol. She is of course referring to their source. The one she and Andrea have been trying to arrange a meeting with for weeks.

Now Lois knows what you might be asking. She doesn't work for the Planet and you're right. She doesn't. Well not yet anyway. She and Chloe are going to apply for internships but that's another issue.

What the important issue is, is that Lois is still on her military covering up the aliens thing and it just so happens her aims coincided with Andrea's, whom was not looking for aliens but was investigating Lexcorp, especially after the thing with Victor Stone. Lois totally understands.

Here's where their paths intersect. Lois knows Lex is doing something for SHIELD. What exactly, she hasn't been able to uncover but is certain it is linked in some way to the cover-up. This source she and Andrea was suppose to meet worked in Lexcorp and was the way in to some hard facts except like she said he didn't show.

Next to Lois, Andrea is still trying to get a hold of their source over the phone but no luck. "His phone is disconnected and his landlord says he moved out suddenly," she reports what she has found out.

"He's been nobbled hasn't he?" Lois guesses. Someone must have gotten to him.

Andrea slams her phone down, hard enough to crack the cover without meaning to. "Looks like," she is forced to agree, pretty annoyed. "I don't understand how though," she says, puzzled. They had been so careful to work this source and Andrea had been forced to concede that Lois, while extremely pushy, loud and borderline rude, certainly could get things done.

Andrea herself had made it a priority in her life, both sides of it, to get a grip on what Lex Luthor is up to after what happened with Victor. Not an easy task at all. Lex was good at covering his tracks.

Lois makes a face and drinks more of her beer. "Welcome to my world!" she mock cheers the fact Andrea now knows how Lois feels. "3 months of dead-ends and military cover-ups. I almost went to my father once. Luckily I sobered up first."

"Can't even remember my father," Andrea idly mentions.

"I wish I couldn't remember mine," Lois says bitterly. "High school Prom. Helicopter and full military escort," she informs Andrea what he did.

Andrea looks at Lois. "He didn't?!" she splutters in disbelief.

"Oh he did," Lois can confirm, bitter sounding about it. "That made a lasting impression on my classmates and my date..." Lois takes a moment to slug down more beer, "pretty certain he pissed his pants."

Andrea stares into her first and barely touched drink.

"You should drink up," Lois encourages Andrea to enjoy herself.

Andrea shakes her head slightly. "I'm not much of a drinker. Besides I only just turned 21." That and she isn't sure she can get drunk and even if she can she doesn't think it would be wise considering how powerful she is.

"Funny. Not being 21 never stopped me," Lois remarks with a smirk in relation to the legal drinking age.

Andrea rolls her eyes. Somehow that doesn't surprise her at all.

Lois rests her head on her hand and slumps forward. "I almost kinda wish I went to Smallville's party instead," she mentions in a depressed sounding tone.

"Smallville?" Andrea queries.

"Oh you wouldn't know him," Lois says with a dismissive wave. "He's Chloe's friend. Farmboy. Lives with those mutants in Bayville."

Clark. Right. In Lois' mind Andrea wouldn't know him. She kinda wishes she could have gone though. She bought him a present. Something small she wants to give him next time she sees him...whenever that is. She can't be sure when because last time they spoke he said he couldn't keep doing this routine of maybe having a relationship and Andrea had had a few days to think on his words. At first she was kinda angry at him, thinking he had led her on. Then she realised if anything she was leading him on and then pulling back so yeah, she needs to sort herself out and decide what she wants.

"Did I ever tell ya how I almost died during the 2nd meteor shower?" Lois asks, already sounding a little tipsy.

"Not in detail," Andrea replies and then mentally slaps herself for giving such a wide opening for Lois to tell that story.

So Lois begins telling how she was trying to drive out of town when the meteors fell and then after she crawled from her wrecked car how she ran across the alien ship and what happened when they murdered the military unit sent to secure the ship.

Andrea had been polite and respectful in not making any remark even if she thinks Lois probably imagined it all via a concussion. Though as she listens she can't help but note how the description of the aliens' powers sound an awful lot like Clark's.

* * *

**Kawatche Caves, Smallville...**

The interior of the caves was lit by powerful lamps, illuminating the work of the archaeologists late into the night.

Tonight they were joined by the one who represented the one funding this. An elegant woman with dark red hair. Tess Mercer.

"Professor Willowbrook?" she gently speaks his name to garner his attention away from his work of examining the latest finds laid out on a table.

"Ms Mercer," Professor Willowbrook returns politely. "What brings you by at this late hour?" he inquires.

"Making sure you aren't wearing yourself out," she jokes lightly.

Professor Willowbrook laughs lightly in return. "I am fine and long hours are no burden to preserve our heritage."

"Of course," Tess says in understanding with a smile. "Anything interesting in your latest discoveries?" she asks.

"All things are interesting. It's only a matter of degrees."

"How true," Tess says with an almost silly smile.

"What is she doing here?" a hostile sounding voice asks.

Tess turns her attention to it to see a young Native American man with a pair of round glasses on his face and wearing dark clothing.

There is a tiny grimace on Professor Willowbrook's face. He makes an introduction. "Ms Mercer may I introduce Jeremiah Holdsclaw, future leader of the Kawatche people and one of my brightest graduate students."

"Delighted to meet you," she says politely.

Jeremiah says nothing in return but the look in his eyes says it all. Tess has seen it from other members of the tribe. They don't like or trust her.

"Ms Mercer was just checking in and making sure we weren't working ourselves too hard. Kind of her, wasn't it Jeremiah," Professor Willowbrook says, saying the last part sternly to get a point across.

"Yes. Very kind," Jeremiah says, his voice tight with suppressed hostility.

Tess can sense the awkwardness here. "Well I'm afraid this was just a quick stop. I have lots of things to do but I'll be dropping by again."

"You are always welcome," Professor Willowbrook says to her.

"Jeremiah," Tess says in farewell. He says nothing bask. Tess turns and leaves.

Professor Willowbrook lets out a noise of annoyance. "You could have been politer, Jeremiah," he criticises.

Jeremiah snorts. "Why? People like her, people like the one she is here representing, have done nothing but defile our culture for centuries. And we don't even know who it is she represents. Just some anonymous benefactor, probably just waiting till we find something important to steal and sell it for money."

Professor Willowbrook rubs his ageing head. Jeremiah has lots of warrior spirit but little wisdom to temper it. "I understand your anger, Jeremiah. I do. When I was your age I felt it as well but without Ms Mercer we wouldn't be here at all and she did promise to return these caves to us after we are done."

"You don't believe her do you?"

"Even if she is lying, even if she is our enemy, history has taught us to walk amongst our enemies. One day Jeremiah you will be leader and that means dealing with people like Ms Mercer and her world. Even if you never trust them there is no choice but to deal with them as the world exists now, not as we might wish it to be."

"They may have worn you down to resigned defeat, Professor, but they will never to the same to me!" Jeremiah promises before he storms out.

Professor Willowbrook shakes his head sadly. He sees too much of the same defiance Kyla had in Jeremiah. He can only hope Jeremiah's fate is a lot kinder than the one that befell his granddaughter.

* * *

Tess reaches her car. She spoke the truth about it being a very short stop. She has a place in Smallville she stays in. She was just checking up on their latest finds to see if there was any link to Superman, like her father was searching for and was badgering her over it. Time was pressing now...apparently.

She stayed only long enough to see nothing too obviously special about today's finds but she has her people in place to keep an eye on things when she can't and they'll let her know if she was mistaken.

Tess is just about to enter her car when a voice catches her attention suddenly.

"You know it's funny how you've never come to see me once in all these weeks."

Tess' head snaps round. Standing there is Lex Luthor. She remains cool and collected. "I wasn't aware we had any business that would require a meeting, Mr Luthor," she says, pretending she doesn't know Lex is her half-brother.

Lex strides up to her, making sure to closely examine her. "I'm tried of _his _games and I'm not playing this one so why don't you cut the crap, sis," Lex says bluntly.

Tess' expression hardens and, as her brother so colourfully put it, cuts the crap. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. It's only taken your whole life to come see me," she mocks, almost sneering. And why wouldn't she sneer. She's been the abandoned and forsaken one of the Luthor clan.

"Where is he?" Lex asks, cutting straight to it.

"Where's who?" Tess asks back.

"Our father."

"What makes you think I know?" she asks, her expression one of humorous shock. "He was the one who dumped me into that orphanage as you are no doubt aware."

"You've gone from environmental activist through a list of part-time jobs to suddenly representing someone of immense wealth. A completely anonymous someone that apparently leaves no paper trail of any kind. He must really think I'm stupid if I didn't know it's him," Lex says, angry sounding that his father might even contemplate that Lex wouldn't be curious why his half-sister, all of a sudden, arrives in Smallville and have her story investigated...which he did thoroughly and what he found was the conclusion he just uttered.

"Look Lex, as much as I love this family reunion," Tess says with dripping sarcasm. "I really don't know what you're on about. My employer is simply a man who wishes to use his wealth to make the world a better place, like me. So he's a bit of a recluse. Name one rich man who isn't a bit eccentric."

Lex's lips quirk to an almost grim smile. "You want to play that game, fine but remember this Lutessa. I can be a powerful ally if you want or I can be a formidable nemesis in a heartbeat. You can tell that snake in the grass of our father that next time you see him."

"If I happen to see him I'll mention it... you know after I've called the police. He is still a fugitive and as much as loyalty to family matters so does upholding the law."

Lex eyes her closely. "What is he after in those caves?" he asks, in a harsh whisper.

Tess smirks. "Show me how clever you are and figure it out," she says back in the exact same manner, basically in a way confirming what Lex suspects but it's more fun this way. She coughs and speaks louder. "Now I think we're done here, yes?"

"Yes."

"It was nice seeing you bro. We must never do this again," she says with a large wide grin. She then gets in her car and slams the door shut before speeding off.

Lex walks off into the darkness where he left his own car.

And behind a small nearby rock outcropping stands Jeremiah, his face twisted in rage. The daughter of Lionel Luthor! He knew she couldn't be trusted. He knew there was something sinister behind all of this and now it has been confirmed. Well, whatever it is that woman and her father is really after in the caves Jeremiah is determined they will never get it. No matter what he has to do.

* * *

_Author's Note: Ok so this is basically filler to lead me onto the next thing. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Talisman._


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